Can one argue that justice and mercy are inseparable and the same?

Question

For example, if justice always requires a price then even though mercy be extended someone still has to pay the price even if it's not the one who committed the original crime. Therefore, in loose terms, what makes mercy any different than justice if it must always meet justice on justice's terms. I'm talking of Justice in terms of Universal Law. For example, for every action there is an opposing reaction. When we take a step, we push against force that pushes against us. In some simplistic way, isn't this justice. Must our force always be met with opposing force?

I guess my question may seem illogical, but maybe my confusion is due to the common perception that justice and mercy are opposites. Are they? For example, if a bridge builder pardon's his workers from finishing the job of building the bridge, and from the perspective of the workers this is an act of mercy, the bridge will either have to be done by other workers, or remain unfinished. Is this act of mercy in conflict with justice, or merely a displacement of who will pay the justice for completion or lack thereof for the bridge. The act of mercy by the builder only changes one fact, who will complete the bridge, if it will be completed at all. Justice will always run it's course, it cannot be altered or changed. Mercy can simply meet it's demands. Therefore they don't appear on equal terms, mercy simply a choice of who will meet the demands. Rather than opposites, I assume, maybe one can argue they are of the same compound?? Do I just some like I'm smoking something??

Maybe I'm thinking of justice more in terms of metaphysics and spirituality? Almost like eternal law, or some sort of gravity like force that holds things together. What holds things together? Isn't gravity a law? Can the law of gravity be broken? Does Justice only apply to laws that can be broken?

Answer 1

Short answer: No, you can't make that argument, not unless you completely distort the meaning of both terms.

"Justice concerns the proper ordering of things and persons within a society. "

"Mercy is a term used to describe the leniency or compassion shown by one person to another, or a request from one person to another to be shown such leniency or compassion."

Completely different things. We can say -- for example -- that justice must be tempered with mercy, and that's a useful argument. But it's nonsense to say that the two are the same.

Answer 2

I would say that they are not the same. Mercy has a role to play in a just system but it is not the only factor.

Obviously, Justice and Mercy have nothing to do with scientific laws which do not necessarily apply to human relationships. I also have my doubts that you can have a universal agreement as to what constitutes Justice.

In my mind, Justice requires taking into consideration the alleged impropriety (which could be either civil or criminal) of the parties, the consequences of that impropriety, and the other circumstances of the party. In a civil case, mercy should have little or no role because you are hurting one party to help the other. In a criminal case, mercy might have a role where there is just something about the defendant that might not matter in another case but in this case makes you think that the defendant deserves another chance.

Answer 3

No, they are not the same. Justice requires sternness of action. Mercy is the lessening or removal of that requirement.

Answer 4

justice is fulfillment of fairness. mercy is forgiveness and letting off the hook. mercy is also a rather fun game where you fight until someone says mercy

Answer 5

hard to answer,m especially for me who first language is not English