Justice
Santos Ramos
Full Sail University
The Origins of the American Republican Government sense of Justice
reflects the works of Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Politics. We the people
as a nation of the United States realize this American vision of Justice. For
Justice to prevail, we must balance the strengths of the individual spirit. To
preserve the individual freedom, amendments in the laws or the needs of
shared affections in the mighty hand of the consent to govern is to seek
proper Justice.
In the readings of, The Republic, Plato’s Justice is an absolute, or a
concept of the highest order to answer nature’s calling and the rights of the
individual. In Plato’s Republic, the plan ascertains the complete philosophy
of man, his true nature. The manifest addresses man in action dealing with
his natural self, his soul and self-consciousness in relations to his
community, morality, and political life to reach true happiness. The text
discourse of Justice is Plato’s aim for State to be ready, act with integrity
and harmony. Justice is much like the genuine spirit of the individual whom
must not deviate from its true character and intent of true aim in the
1
principle affairs of one’s self, soul and matters of the State. There is no
distinction of either as Plato laments, “They must show that the self is no
isolated unit, but part of an order with a ‘station’ in that order. The fullness
of expression and true consciousness of pleasure is doing one’s duty in the
station to which one is called," (Barker, 1959, pg.96). Plato’s idealism
depicts a just man regarding his innate ability to balance three essential
characteristics: courage, self-discipline, and wisdom. In the laws of nature
everything has its place and in its place, it shall have its order. “In the spirit
is found man’s highest excellence (Montapert, 1977, pp.189).”
By terms of practicality Aristotle’s Politics declares similarities between the
States being in equilibrium by affirming one’s harmonistic nature to his
calling. This “insist-to-assist” ordinary life perpetuates social discourse by
using the energy of real prospecting in articulating political fellowship.
Aristotle, a political theorist, believes Justice expresses itself in a healthy
social life. He states, "In the Ethical sense Justice and friendship are
closely connected; but while justice is regarded as needing friendship, also,
a bond is viewed as of itself sufficient for the State in which it is found
(Barker, 1959, pg. 235).” The central unit of the State is where justice and
friendship are intertwined. Painted indistinctly that justice is biased to the
government that is in control. Aristotle's treatment of justice is a likeness of
2
his reasonableness and see's justice only as a creation of its government.
While men of faith believe in higher order, “most men have ruined
themselves than have ever been destroyed by others (Montapert, 1952, pg.
113),” be just appropriate to be deficient in pure awareness of spirituality.
Based on these absolute truths and of the natural order in the laws of
nature a society’s structure of Justice is best suited so as to promote as
much justice as possible.
References
Barker, E. (1959). The Political Thought of Plato and Aristotle. Dover
Publications, Inc. New York, New York. Pg. 96.
Montapert, A.A., (1952). The Supreme Philosophy of Man: The Law of
Morality. Books of Value, Los Angeles, California. Pg. 189.
Barker, E. (1959). The Political Thought of Plato and Aristotle. Dover
Publications, Inc. New York, New York. Pg. 235.
Montapert, A.A., (1952). The Supreme Philosophy of Man: The Law of the
Correct Use of Man. Books of Value, Los Angeles, California. Pg. 189.
3
4