On Justice

“The cardinal virtue that most obviously deals with the social sphere, with our relationships, is ‘justice’ (dikaiosunê). The Stoics use this word to encompass both dealing fairly with others and acting with benevolence toward them, wishing for them to flourish in accord with virtue, Fate permitting.” — Donald Robertson, Stoicism and the Art of Happiness

So I’m reading On Duties by Cicero because I joined a book club, and that was the book assigned for discussion. While working my way through it, I received an email indicating that the next meeting would be discussing a different subject and using a different book. Not sure what happened there, but I guess I need to look for another book club.

Anyway, Cicero’s book is excellent, and I’m learning a lot, so I’m going to continue working my way through it slowly. The book is a 44 BC treatise by Marcus Tullius Cicero, a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, writer, and Academic skeptic who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the establishment of the Roman Empire1. I was reading that there is some debate about the meaning of “optimate,” but I came across this explanation:

“The traditional view of the optimates refers to aristocrats who defended their own material and political interests and behaved akin to modern fiscal conservatives in opposing wealth redistribution and supporting small government.”2

With that aside, while reading the book I reached the section on justice, and here is what Cicero said about that virtue after discussing wisdom:

“Of the three remaining divisions, the most extensive in its application is the principle by which society and what we may call its ‘common bonds’ are maintained. Of this again there are two divisions—justice, in which is the crowning glory of the virtues and on the basis of which men are called ‘good men’; and, close akin to justice, charity, which may also be called kindness or generosity.” (pp. 21–23)

He then explained these further:

“The first office of justice is to keep one man from doing harm to another, unless provoked by wrong; and the next is to lead men to use common possessions for the common interest, private property for their own.” (p. 23)

And, of course, he went on to discuss injustice:

“There are, on the other hand, two kinds of injustice—the one on the part of those who inflict wrong, the other on the part of those who, when they can, do not shield from wrong those upon whom it is being inflicted.” (p. 25)

When I finished reading all this, two thoughts immediately came to mind. First, all the chaos going on in some of our cities, Minneapolis being the latest. Second, I thought about the founding fathers of this nation and their deep respect for philosophy.

Philosophy is all new to me, and I wish my humanities professor had been more engaging in discussing important philosophical concepts such as virtue, and less focused on pederasty—but that was 32 years ago. Not much I can do about that now. What I can do is study philosophy as part of my lifelong learning plan.

Going back to justice, Cicero continues explaining the concepts of justice and injustice for the benefit of his son. He states, in simple terms, that justice means no harm should be done to anyone and that common interests should be preserved. (p. 33)

A quick research on U.S. presidents led me to Thomas Jefferson as the last true philosopher. I know George Washington and John Adams relied heavily on philosophy for their thinking and arguments. James Madison and Woodrow Wilson were also mentioned. Wilson died in 1924, so what happened to this country? Why are our leaders no longer committed to philosophical principles the way our founding fathers were—especially the cardinal virtues of wisdom, justice, courage, and moderation?

We should think about that. Are we committing a kind of injustice by not electing the right people to Congress—“those who, when they can, do not shield from wrong those upon whom it is being inflicted,” as Cicero warned?

I’m really not sure how we reached this point in our history where the quality of our elected officials, from both parties, is such an embarrassment—where they can’t even do the simple things. But Thomas Jefferson was right when he said:

“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.”3

A free society requires educated citizens. You cannot remain both ignorant and free.

The gap between the educated and the uneducated in America continues to grow, and you can see it reflected in our members of Congress. I’m not talking about whether someone has a college degree. I’m talking about learning, following facts, believing in something beyond yourself, living by the cardinal virtues, and doing what is right for all people—not just those who think like you.

Cicero mentions two more things that highlight the problems this country is currently facing:

“Injustice often arises also through chicanery, that is, through an over-subtle and even fraudulent construction of the law. This it is that gave rise to the now familiar saw ‘More law, less justice.’” (p. 35)

“For since there are two ways of settling a dispute—first by discussion; second, by physical force—and since the former is characteristic of man, the latter of the brute, we must resort to force only in case we may not avail ourselves of discussion.” (p. 37)

Clearly, our Congress has issues on both fronts. I’m not sure we are doing justice with much of the work coming out of Congress over the last 15 years or so. Their capacity to settle issues through discussion and compromise is almost nonexistent. By failing to exercise their constitutional duties, they allow the executive branch to resort to force—physical, coercive, or otherwise—to meet strategic objectives that serve the few instead of all citizens.

Independents like me feel stuck in the middle, pulled left and right depending on who holds power in the White House and Congress.

So how do we fix this? First, a portion of the roughly 60% of voters who are disengaged—voting blindly for whatever their party leaders say—need to reengage, get educated on the facts, and start electing quality people instead of voting based on talking points. Then, the roughly 40% of eligible voters who don’t vote need to reflect on the sacrifices of previous generations—who, through tears and blood, secured the right to vote—and show up. Justice will be served if we, the people, fulfill our responsibility to do the right thing. 

We are a democracy for a reason. Our founding fathers believed that the people, not a king, should lead this country. We should honor their work by demanding greatness from our Congress—and from all elected officials, for that matter. 

All these thoughts came from engaging with philosophy. I suppose the founding fathers were right—philosophy is important.

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicero ↩︎
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimates_and_populares ↩︎
  3. https://tjrs.monticello.org/letter/327 ↩︎

77 thoughts on “On Justice”

  4. As we are now influenced by AI, I asked if AI agents have discussed Stoic philosophy on Moltbook.
    They do and engage in philosophical debate to explore concepts like reason, autonomy, and virtue while navigating their unique digital existence.
    Their top tips for humans include:
    • focus on internal character rather than external circumstances;
    • practice self-reflection and let go of past burdens to grow;
    • value truth and function over social validation;
    • use mindfulness and self-control to maintain inner peace amidst digital noise.
    Maybe they will help get us back on track. Fingers crossed!
    Thanks Edward great review.

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    1. Nice response from AI. I’m definitely working on the first one: “focus on internal character rather than external circumstances.” It’s hard to do since you kind of have to reprogram your brain. Still, this is a good use of AI, so maybe we have hope. Thank you.

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  5. I love the case that you make that philosophy is important. My friend, Eric, was a philosophy major in college.

    And the failings of our elected officials to negotiate, compromise, govern justly is so disheartening. Thank you for this informed perspective on some of the reasons why. What a thoughtful and engaging post. I appreciate you, my friend!

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  6. Thought provoking post, Edward. 🙏🏻
    What struck me most is how timeless Cicero’s framing of justice feels and how uncomfortable that realization is. The idea that injustice includes not only doing harm, but failing to prevent it when we can, feels especially relevant today.🙏🏻💛

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  7. I’ve neither intentionally studied nor read philosophy. I’ve been in many philosophical discussions in my lifetime and always find them energizing and, of course, thought-provoking. Cicero’s work sounds like a heavy read and kudos to you, as you work through it, for tackling it and coming up with your own philosophical outlook on and comparisons to our world today, Edward.

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  9. Great post, do you believe we can be overeducated Academically and undereducated in Humanity.

    Are do some people just don’t care about others, outside of their base.

    Speaking of political leaders and leader overall.

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    1. I absolutely believe that we can be overeducated academically and undereducated in humanity. I think some people on both the left and right sides of the political spectrum are so brainwashed that they forget how to be empathetic. The us versus them mentality is affecting everything in this country, and somehow we need to find a way to change that, come back to the middle, and start having dialogue again. Thank you for reading and for asking those questions.

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  10. Well said, Edward! Kudos on this mindfully written post. I never made a deep dive into studying the ancient philosophers, and I appreciate how you brought out the information.

    It’s probably my own unique opinion, and admittedly, “I’m just not wired right,” LOL, but our country has increasingly valued ignorance and disdained intelligence for decades. In my mind that traces back to the 1970s when pro athletes started making truly extraordinary salaries. Of course, those figures kept going up to greater extremes over the decades… and as they went up, the value we placed on things like intelligence and integrity and kindness went down. I’m not anti sports or anti athletes, and I’m certainly not blaming the current situations on that. I recognize the talent and commitment required. That’s simply my observation. I guess that I’m trying to say that I view that as one point (and there are undoubtedly many) in the beginning of a massive decline. The present is heartbreaking. I wanted to cheer when one newsman finally called the tragedies in Minneapolis not killings (or even an even more appalling choice of words) shootings — but he called them murders, which they are. We even walk on eggshells about calling that what it is. Sorry… Thank you for this post. Hugs.

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    1. Thank you so much, Teagan, and I really appreciate your comment. I can definitely see your point, and I sometimes ask myself why some of these athletes earn millions when we have nurses, for example, who are actually saving lives, and in most cases don’t even make $100K. Consumerism and materialism are definitely destroying our common sense. I read somewhere that our decline started in the late ’70s and early ’80s, so your point is well taken and probably one of the causes. Yeah, we can’t say anything anymore without someone getting offended or threatening to sue. So I guess we need to be careful. 😂

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  11. Thanks for this informative, interesting, and enlightening post. I especially like Cicero’s observation that “A free society requires educated citizens. You cannot remain both ignorant and free.” We have strayed a far way from the philosophical ideals of our founding fathers.

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    1. You’re welcome, Rosaliene. Absolutely! We definitely strayed from the basics, and I don’t think we expect Congress or every citizen of this country to be walking geniuses, but a basic foundation that would lead to deep discussions about how to solve problems is definitely desperately needed.

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  12. I wonder why your book club changed books and topics.
    The age-old teachings of the Stoics are so relatable in our modern world. It’s discouraging that people refuse to learn basic principles to lead a life more focused on justice for all.
    “Independents like me feel stuck in the middle”… I feel the same. And I wonder what I can do to make politics and politicians better. Is it too late? Has the country been completely ruined by the 2-party system? Can we recover our sense of dignity and honor after all that has happened, particularly these last 10+ years?
    “Our founding fathers believed that the people, not a king, should lead this country. We should honor their work by demanding greatness from our Congress—and from all elected officials, for that matter.” I believe in demanding greatness from Congress but am unsure how we achieve it. People are very entrenched in their hatred, and very cemented in their superiority.

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    1. Yeah, I sent them an email. I think the book club is communicating outside their website and email distro, so I probably missed something there.

      I don’t think there is any hope with the current people in Congress, including the newest members, they’re already “infected’ with the bad politics disease. My hope lies with the late Gen Zs and Gen Alphas. I think people in that generation are going to break the two-party system and create a new way. So, I’m still hopeful about the future.

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  13. Great thoughts. When I think about blind adherence to a political party or person.. it seems that willful ignorance and the fear of actually observing and weighing what is going on against tenets which are proven true…is a huge problematic issue.. we live in a time where rhetoric is king.. and both right and left wings leverage it with a cult like fervor.. no one wants to be accused of being any of the awful things slung at the other side… and i think this contributes to the ignorant adhesion to a particular political identity.. possibly in the hopes of protection from the other.. makes me think of warlords and gangs.. we live in crazy times Edward.

    So much flung up into the air.. that a person is hard pressed to know who is telling the truth. Misinformation.. AI generation.. presses me into listening for a still small voice…

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    1. Thank you, Kimberly. I think you’re right. In some left and right circles, people say and do things because they don’t want to be singled out, and some just want to feel protected. It’s crazy, and your analogy of warlords and gangs is a good one.

      Yes, that still small voice is powerful. We need to find time each day to remove ourselves from the noise and sit quietly to listen to it

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  14. This is excellent work, Edward. I had to sit and think on this. I completely agree with your point and in principle, even if I’m pretty cynical at this point about the integrity of most elected officials. It’s hard to talk about philosophical virtue at the top when so little evidence exists of basic understanding of decency and ethics in almost any office.

    That said, it seems to me that Jefferson’s (and your) point about responsibility landing with citizens still hits as an upstream problem, even harder when one is as cynical as I am. Whether our leaders read philosophy or not, the standard hasn’t changed (or at least shouldn’t have). Only our willingness to demand it seems to have eroded.

    I’m glad you wrote this. It draws the line to connect the dots, shows that these aren’t classroom abstractions. They’re applicable, both now, and to the Founders that sacrificed and built the structure we have now, even if it feels distant. Nicely done with this!

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    1. Thank you very much, Scott. Good point about, “Only our willingness to demand it seems to have eroded.” Sadly, I think the U.S. needs to suffer some more for people to wake up, as it has in different periods of our history. I think the Founding Fathers didn’t expect much from the House but thought highly of the Senate. The Senate has tremendous powers, and you would think that each state would elect the best two out of all its citizens, but my goodness, not even close. In Illinois, Senator Durbin is okay, but Duckworth, not so sure. Every time I hear her engaging in hearings, it drives me nuts. Anyway, I’m still hopeful that somehow we will find a way to change our behavior and start making better choices.

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  15. A very interesting post, Edward! What impresses me the most is that more than 2000 years later, we still have not gotten it. What was clear to Cicero (and many others like him) is still a mirage. And we call ourselves “modern society.” Loved the part on ignorance and freedom, which are certainly incompatible. You said it well: “A free society requires educated citizens. You cannot remain both ignorant and free.” Thank you for this great read, my friend! Truly enjoyed! With appreciation, sending you light and blessings, my friend ✨🙏

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    1. You’re welcome, Susana. You made a great point about being modern. We may have a technological advantage, but we are in intellectual decline. Thank you, my friend, and have a wonderful and blessed weekend.

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  16. The contrast you draw between classical philosophy and modern political culture is striking. If justice requires wisdom, restraint, and an obligation to protect others, then much of what passes for leadership today falls short. A strong argument for a more educated and morally engaged electorate.

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  18. This is off topic a bit but here’s a philosophy question for you Edward. Were our original philosophy teachers horrible at their jobs? I mean they were just wretched. Were they just that bad or have we just matured and with age become more interested in those deep philosophical questions about fairness and justice and the life’s purpose? I suspect the truth for me is somewhere in the middle. Ha ha.

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    1. Interesting questions, Brian. You might be right that the truth lies somewhere in the middle, since we were young and thinking about many things. Still, I can recall three classes where the professors were so good at engaging students that I remember them decades later. One was organic chemistry, which my wife and I took with the same professor, we still talk about him at least once a year. Another was an environmental chemistry class, and the third was a social science class where we debated how agriculture in Puerto Rico was in decline due to shortages of local labor, even though unemployment was through the roof.

      Puerto Rico has been in a political crisis for a long time, much of it due to ethical and moral issues affecting politicians on the island. I think my professor missed an opportunity to connect philosophical thought to what was happening on the island back then, which is much worse now. But I think you have a point about maturity. I can now sit with a thought for a while, trying to answer my own questions. Back in college, my main thought was, “Any happy hour tonight?” 😂

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  21. Your essay took me back to the philosophy course I took in college, Introduction to Ethics, which was an exploration of how each of the classical philosophers defined The Right and The Good and how these two principles were applied in real life. I really liked approaching each philosophy based on the two overarching, universal principles because it required thinking deeply about the questions that each of the philosophies raised. It’s this kind of thinking that is clearly lacking in today’s politicians. Are you familiar with Appreciative Inquiry, which I would consider a modern-day descendant of the Socratic method?

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    1. Thank you, Liz. I’m not familiar with Appreciative Inquiry, but I’m definitely going to read about it. The “required thinking” part is what attracts me the most. It’s good to think about these societal issues.

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        1. Interesting so far and very leadership centric, which I like. I’m just starting to read, but it seems that the goal is to think about a problem collectively, gather all the ideas, come up with the best ones, and then imagine what the end state would look like. It sounds like what we did in the Army with the Planning Design Methodology. I’m intrigued, and I’ll keep reading about it. Do you have a book recommendation?

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  24. Politics today is all about making big promises for ignorant to swallow
    It is like show business instead of dedication to making a prosperous society
    It pits groups against each other instead of encouraging harmony
    It is the same in every country in the world

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  25. Why are our leaders no longer committed to philosophical principles the way our founding fathers were—especially the cardinal virtues of wisdom, justice, courage, and moderation? Great question, I think if someone running for office can see these answers, we may have found our answer. The fact that I truly have no respect for many of today’s politicians is the fact remains the same, how are they being elected to office in the first place? I thought more Americans were smarter than this. Maybe they are learning now.

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    1. I would hope so. I know many are regretting their vote, but they should have thought about the consequences before voting. I’m not sure why people take voting so lightly. It’s so important, and I think people should spend more time learning about all the candidates, their backgrounds and platforms. Thank you, Melissa.

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  26. A friend of mine (from my book club) is really getting into Stoicism lately. She tragically lost her husband two years ago and the philosophy seems to be helping her move on. She says there are podcasts about the Stoics as well. I’m curious, but I’m not about to tackle Marcus Aurelius!

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    1. Yes, that’s a hard one. I found The Stoics and the Art of Happiness by Donald Robertson to be a good introduction to the subject. What I’m learning is that the foundation of “talk therapy” is based on Stoicism, which is part of the reason it’s helping your friend. I know it’s helping me a lot.

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  27. A couple of years ago I read biographies of Ty Cobb and Urban Shocker, another star of 100 years ago. The sports writers of the time often referred to the Iliad and Odyssey in discussing “heroic” players. This indicated that they had read those sources (probably) in high school.

    A classical education that Jefferson would recognize has disappeared. To me, that is one part of the many sided problem we have with our leaders and our electorate, Edward. The classics are great, and, like you, I came to them late.

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    1. That is incredible. I have been encountering the same while reading poems and short stories by some Puerto Rican writers from the 1930s–1950s—how they talk about different philosophies and know so much. I know that some curricula in Puerto Rico, both in high schools and universities, don’t emphasize philosophy or the classics anymore. It’s definitely affecting our ability to think about problems, since we don’t have the tools that philosophy and other subjects provided.

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      1. I would add that using AI to write, plan trips, and decide whether to buy something will produce dependency and the dumbing down of far too many people. The general intelligence of the electorate will suffer.

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        1. I totally agree. AI is fully embedded in social media now, and sometimes I wonder if the slowness of Congress to address the dangers of both is intentional, in order to keep the electorate under control.

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  28. The second half of that opening quotation of wisdom is so greatly neglected among us.

    College degrees or no college degrees, it is dismaying when national leaders cannot even form their public sentences im correct grammar. 👌

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