Ariadne's Thread on Justice
Replies
speaker
Vera

(main path)

speaker
Vera

 
 
 
Arbitrary Decisions

(Click here to continue on the main path)

Professor Sidgwick Speaking
I think this is an important development that helps us to pull together everything we have said. 

I agree with Fred that justice stands in opposition to arbitrariness. When we agree to act justly, we are agreeing to reduce arbitrary decision making in several ways:

 

  • Treat equal cases equally on the basis of relevant characteristics.
  • When cases are different, observe a proportion between differences and benefits or burdens.
  • Commit to giving reasons for our decisions.
  • Commit to following the logical implications of our principles and making decisions with logical consistency.

And, as Ayesha said, this is a deep connection. This incompatibility with arbitrary decision making is built into the concept of justice. It isn't just a fact about how we feel, or something that happens to be true of the systems of justice that we find appealing.

By the way, I'm glad that some of you are reading Perelman. His essay De La Justice (or Concerning Justice) is a bit old. He wrote it in 1945. But I also think that much of what he says about formal justice is still accepted by many philosophers. He's an excellent place to start reading about formal justice.


Ariadne's Home Contact Ariadne at: Justice Home
Justice Bibliography Justice Contents