Thursday, September 14, 2006

On Moral Judgement....

Justice is the virtue of judging men’s character and conduct objectively and of acting accordingly, granting to each man that which he deserves. Though the conventional view conceives of justice primarily as a negative – focusing on the punishment of evil – justice is a means of attaining and protecting one’s values. It guides one not only in warding off those who would do harm, but it also guides one toward those (potential lovers, friends, associates) who have values to offer one, whom one can admire and benefit from.

So, how does one judge men’s character and conduct objectively? As an aspect of rationality, justice demands that one be scrupulous in identifying all the relevant facts and in evaluating them according to a rational standard.

It is important to recognize that justice does not include “psychologizing,” which is condemning or excusing specific individuals on the grounds of their psychological problems, real or invented, in the absence of or contrary to factual evidence. The facts should be weighted within a man’s conscious control – his convictions, statements, actions.

shared by JAA

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