SOCRATE’S RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF THE IDEAL SOCIETY AND TRUE SOCIAL JUSTICE

"WE ARE TOLD ON GOOD AUTHORITY, CALLICLES, THAT HEAVEN AND EARTH AND THEIR RESPECTIVE INHABITANTS ARE HELD TOGETHER BY THE BONDS OF SOCIETY AND LOVE AND ORDER AND DISCIPLINE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THAT IS WHY THE UNIVERSE IS CALLED AN ORDERED WHOLE OR COSMOS AND NOT A STATE OF DISORDER AND LICENCE. YOU, I THINK, FOR ALL YOUR CLEVERNESS, HAVE FAILED TO GRASP THE TRUTH; YOU HAVE NOT OBSERVED HOW GREAT A PART GEOMETRIC EQUALITY PLAYS IN HEAVEN AND EARTH, AND BECAUSE YOU NEGLECT THE STUDY OF GEOMETRY YOU PREACH THE DOCTRINE OF UNFAIR SHARES." -- [PLATO’S, GORGIAS {pp. 117}]

……

“AND NOW, ADEIMANTUS, IS OUR STATE MATURED AND PERFECTED?

I THINK SO.

WHERE, THEN, IS JUSTICE, AND WHERE IS INJUSTICE, AND IN WHAT PART OF THE STATE DID THEY SPRING UP?

PROBABLY IN THE DEALINGS OF THESE CITIZENS WITH ONE ANOTHER. I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE.

I DARE SAY YOU ARE RIGHT IN YOUR SUGGESTION, I SAID; WE HAD BETTER THINK THE MATTER OUT, AND NOT SHRINK FORM THE ENQUIRY.” - [PLATO’S REPUBLIC {pp. 80}]

WHAT IS SOCIAL JUSTICE TO SOCRATES?

TAKES PLACE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE

== AND ==

RELATES TO “THE DOCTRINE OF FAIR SHARES”

== THEREFORE ==

JUSTICE IS THE FAIR AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT OF OTHERS.

INTERACTION LEVEL:

A) JUSTICE IS IN THE RELATIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE

B) JUSTICE IS NOT AN ABSTRACT IDEA, OR A THING, IT IS A ‘RELATIONSHIP’ AN ACT // “ACTION!”

C) JUSTICE IS AS JUSTICE DOES

D) JUSTICE IS THE WELL BEING OF OTHERS

COLLECTIVE LEVEL:

A) JUSTICE IS THE DOCTRINE OF FAIR SHARING

B) JUSTICE IS THE FAIR AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT OF OTHERS IN INSTITUTIONAL LIFE [“EQUITABLE SOCIETY”]

C) JUSTICE IS AN EQUITABLE SOCIETY

SOCIAL INQUIRY LEGACY:

A) REFINE THE ‘TOOL’ THAT ALLOW FOR THE ACCURATE MEASURMENT OF SOCIAL RELATIONS

B) THESE TOOLS ALLOW SOCIAL RESEARCHERS TO FOCUS ON THE PATTERNS OF ‘INEQUITY’ IN SOCIETY IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE THEM AND PROMOTE A JUST SOCIETY.

ACCORDING TO SOCRATIC/PLATONIC PHILOSOPHY, THE IDEAL SOCIETY IS BASED ON JUSTICE AND REASON è

1) PROPERLY CONSIDERED, JUSTICE IS CONCERNED WITH THE EQUITABILITY OR FAIRNESS IN INTERPERSONAL AND INTER-GROUP RELATIONS è ***JUSTICE IS THE WELL-BEING OF OTHERS

A) DOES NOT NECESSARILY COINCIDE WITH THE OTHER’S IMMEDIATE EXPRESSED INTEREST [EX. THE “MADMAN”]

B) DOES NOT NECESSARILY COINCIDE WITH INDULGENT TREATMENT

2) JUSTICE [I.E.CONCERN FOR THE WELL-BEING OF OTHERS] GUIDED BY REASON IS CONDUCIVE TO A SYMETRICAL AND HARMONIOUS [HARMONIOUS WHOLE]

THE ISSUE IS HOW DO WE ACHIEVE IT [DIALECTIC OF JUSTICE AND REASON]è AT THE LEVEL OF THE “INDIVIDUAL,” “COMMUNITY” LEVEL, AND THE LEVEL OF THE “STATE.”}}}

HIS STUDENT, ARISTOTLE OFFERED A FURTHER ACCOUNT OF STATE-JUSTICE THAT MADE ALLOWANCES FOR THE SOCIAL RECTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL WRONGS. MODERN SOCIETY AND MORAL REASONING IN THE WESTERN TRADITION HAS FOLLOWED ARISTOTLE'S CONCEPTIONS OF RETRIBUTIVE AND DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE.

RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE – {DEF’N} – EMBRACES THE IDEA THAT THE AMOUNT OF PUNISHMENT MUST BE PROPORTIONATE TO THE AMOUNT OF HARM CAUSED BY THE OFFENCE

è REFERS TO A TRADITIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE/ RULE-OF-LAW METHOD OF RETRIBUTION OR FIXING BLAME FOR A VIOLATION OF THE RULES AND ATTACHING COMMENSURATE PUNISHMENT è ‘SOCIAL RECTIFICATION’ FOCUS è [MAKING INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNTABLE TO OTHERS]

DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE {DEF’N} – IS CONCERNED WITH THE APPORTIONMENT OF PRIVILEGES, DUTIES, AND GOODS IN CONSONANCE WITH THE MERITS OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND IN THE BEST INTEREST OF SOCIETY

èTHE DOCTRINE THAT A DECISION IS JUST OR RIGHT IF ALL PARTIES RECEIVE WHAT THEY NEED OR DESERVE – OR – THE DISTRIBUTION OF REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS TO EVERY ONE ACCORDING TO HIS MERITS OR DEMERITS è ‘MERITOCRACY’ FOCUS è [MAKING OTHERS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE INDIVIDUAL]

SUBSTANTIVE JUSTICE {USU REFERS TO ‘OUTCOMES & ENDS”} – IS SAID TO EXIST NOT ONLY MUST THE PROCEDURES BY WHICH THE RULES/LAW IS APPLIED BE SEEN TO BE FAIR BUT ALSO THE CONTENT OF THE LAW THAT IS, THE SOCIAL ENDS TO BE ACHIEVED.

è IS A MODERN DOCTRINE [OR WHAT IS CALLED JUSTICE IN A HUMAN RIGHTS CONTEXT] è BASED ON NON-EXPLOITATION, NON-HIERARCHICAL NOTIONS OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATION è EQUALITY AND DIGNITY FOR ALL è THIS IMPLIES PROACTIVE AND POSITIVE STATE ACTION è FURTHERING HUMAN RIGHTS AND BREAKING DOWN SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BARRIERS TO THE EXERCISE OF POSITIVE FREEDOM è ‘INCLUSIVITY’ FOCUS è [MAKING EACH ACCOUNTABLE TO ALL]

[[[ASIDE: SUBSTANTIVE JUSTICE IS THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF MODERN ACTIVISTS AND APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCE TODAY WHO EXAMINE SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN A “HUMAN RIGHTS CONTEXT” {MUTUAL RIGHTS-BEARERS è AFFIRMATION OF EQUAL RIGHTS BESTOWED ON ALL HUMANS}]]]]]]

(SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS)

1) JUSTICE IS THE WELL BEING OF OTHERS {INDIVIDUAL LEVEL}

2) JUSTICE IS THE EQUITABLE AND FAIR TREATMENT IN INTER-GROUP RELATIONS {GROUP LEVEL}

3) JUSTICE IS CONCERNED WITH THE WHOLE AND THE GOOD {SOCIETAL LEVEL}