Justice

Justice is a social judgment that cannot be defined in the same way as tangible objects such as a fruit or tree. It consists of social rules or norms concerning such issues as what is acceptable behavior, how people should treat one another, and how to make decisions affecting others. These rules, shared within a culture or group, facilitate social life and efforts to achieve personal and common [Page 567]goals. While many think of justice in terms of formal legal institutions or distribution of resources within a country, scientists study the operations and perceptions of justice at levels as small as individual dyads and as large as whole countries, examining issues such as fair treatment of citizens within a society, the operation of formal legal systems, the treatment of members of social groups or businesses, or negotiations between friends or romantic partners.

Recent justice studies have even extended to relationships among animals. Referred to as “wild justice,” nonhuman social justice has attracted interest from a broad range of academic disciplines, such as biology, ethology, psychology, anthropology, and even philosophy. Primates in particular have been known to engage in social justice behaviors including reciprocity, conflict resolution, retribution, and punishment for cheaters and inequity.

The basic goal of justice is to promote social cooperation and success among individuals and the group as a whole. For social rules of justice to effectively guide social interaction between individuals and in groups, there must be consensus concerning principles of justice, participants must accept these principles as guides to social decision making, and the rules must be enforced by the relevant community. But where do these principles of justice come from?