Justice

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Justice
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Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere. Martin Luther King Jr.
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What is Justice

• Moral principle that determines what is just,
  equitable, and morally right based on ethical,
  political, environmental, and religious beliefs
  and values.
• Just guided by truth, reason, and fairness
• Promoting welfare, virtue, and freedom
• Keeping intact the foundations of our democracy
  including upholding the law
• Securing natural rights
• According to Merriam Webster
• Justice is the use of law and being fair

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Sandels Theories of JusticeMichael Sandel is a
professor of history and philosophy at Harvard
University. He is one of the most prominent
thinkers and writers on the idea of justice today.
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Maximizing Welfare

• Improving standard of living for society as a
  whole
• Bringing the greatest happiness for the greatest
  number of people UTILITARIAN
• This means that a persons theory of justice is
  based on promoting prosperity or spurring
  economic growth, to seek the greatest happiness
  for the greatest number of people.
• Examples Social Security, healthcare (Medicare
  and Medicaid), public schools, criminal justice
  system with prisons

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Respecting Freedom

• This means that you have respect for individual
  rights and universal human rights. E.g. the Bill
  of Rights
• Emphasis on respect for individual rights
• Laissez-faire camp (free-market libertarians)
• Policies that respect voluntary choices so
  minimal government intervention in individual
  lives and choices.
• Fairness camp (egalitarian theorists)
• Policies that give everyone a fair chance at
  success so government passes laws that ensure
  everyone has equal opportunity.

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Promoting Virtue

• This means that you look at justice by affirming
  certain virtues and conceptions of the good
  life.
• These virtues must be defined by society by
  drawing from moral or religious ideals.
• A just society affirms certain virtues
• Policies and laws are made based on those
  virtues.

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Other Philosophers

• Aristotle - justice means giving people what they
  deserve.
• John Rawls a fair society respects each
  persons freedom to decide what is virtue.

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• Justice involves REAL issues that deal with the
  equality and fair treatment of humanity and the
  environment.
• Justice also involves the laws in a country or
  nation, and the arrangement of how a government
  will protect its values and maintain order while
  preserving the rights of the people.

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Essential Questions

• How is justice defined?
• Can a free society ensure both justice and
  liberty?
• Should justice be our first priority?