The Definition of Justice

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the definition of justice provided by Thrasymachus that inferred that what masquerades as "justice" is merely the desires and interests of the more powerful and influential in society over those of the less powerful. The paper then questions why justice should matter at all and looks at several definitions of justice that have been advanced throughout the history of political philosophy and human ethics. The paper concludes by offering another definition of justice.

Outline:
Introduction
Distinguishing Justice from Power and Influence
Why Should Justice Matter at All?
Towards a Definition of Justice
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"According to the most logical interpretation of the definition of justice provided by Thrasymachus, the statement that "justice is nothing other than the advantage of the stronger" was not meant as a definition of the concept of justice, but rather, as a critical observation that what masquerades as "justice" are merely the desires and interests of the more powerful and influential in society over those of the less powerful or influential. In fact, what Thrasymachus describes as justice is actually the antithesis of justice."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Dershowitz, A. (2002). Shouting Fire: Civil Liberties in a Turbulent Age New York: Little Brown & Co.
• Sekine, S., Wakabayashi, J. (2005). A Comparative Study of the Origins of Ethical Thought: Hellenism and Hebraism. Lanham, MD.: Rowman & Littlefield.
• Taylor, R. (1999). Freedom, Anarchy, and the Law: An Introduction to Political Philosophy. Buffalo: Prometheus

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