Q: Is “Justice” a fundamental, or objective truth that exists independent of humanity, or is it
an artificial construct we invented to ensure collective survival and social stability?
The strongest argument for Justice as an objective truth relies on established
patterns of human behavior, and more specifically moral intuition. If justice were an
artificial concept, we would expect to see societies where cruelty is considered “just,” but
the opposite is true, suggesting there is an almost “golden rule” that transcends geography
and culture. Through this we can conclude that humans are not inventing justice, but
rather discovering it, as we’ve discovered the laws of mathematics or physics.
Furthermore, if justice was merely a social contract, then there would be no logical ground
to criticize human behavior or the behavior of a state, for example. The concept of us being
able to point to a law and note “this is legal, but not necessarily right,” proves there is a
higher standard of Justice that exists independent from human legislation. Justice is a
moral fabric that gives us the authority to hold each other accountable.
However, the concept of “Objective Justice” can also be viewed as fiction used to
mask the raw reality of human power dynamics. In nature, the concepts of “just” or
“unjust” do not exist; there are only primal instincts and survival of the fittest. What we call
“Justice” is really a peace treaty or social contract, that was born out of the realization that
life in constant conflict is ultimately self-defeating. We agree to “just” rules not because
it’s in our nature but because avoiding conflict prolongs collective survival. This emulates
Hobbes’ argument for individuals surrendering some freedoms for greater peace;
therefore, it is a manmade construct. The fact that what was considered “just” a century
ago is now flagrantly wrong proves Justice is not a constant, but a shifting ideal designed to
maintain social equilibrium and ensure the survival of humans collectively over the desires
of the individual.