I agree with Aristotle’s
view of Justice, in that it is the voluntary act of doing a just act makes that
thing just, and a voluntary unjust act is what makes things unjust, as well as
vice versa. This makes sense to me because if something is done involuntarily,
even if it is unjust in principal, it is not an unjust act. The example we have
been using in class is one when a person holds you at gunpoint and makes you
steal a pack of gum from a gas station, it is not unjust do steal the pack of
gum, because it is not just for you to die for a pack of gum. Therefor, it is
not a voluntary act. Aristotle defines a voluntary act as one that is done by
the person, in knowledge, and is done neither by coincidence or coerce.
Another thing I wanted to talk about that we mentioned in
class is the situation with the US and Syria, and how we said we would launch
missiles at them if they continued on the line they are on. We compared this to
a parent spanking their child if they did something wrong, and we agreed that
this was okay. I think launching missiles is much more like beating a child
than it is spanking a child, and I don’t think any of us would agree that
beating a child in any situation is Just.
You mentioned that it would not be just to die for a pack of gum. however what if you considered a more extreme case where you are demanded to kill say thousands of people? Would the involuntary act be justified then? What if you were being threatened with say losing all of the money in you savings if you did not commit the act? I believe that Aristotle would believe that there was a limit to where your actions detract from your merit.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned that it would not be just to die for a pack of gum. however what if you considered a more extreme case where you are demanded to kill say thousands of people? Would the involuntary act be justified then? What if you were being threatened with say losing all of the money in you savings if you did not commit the act? I believe that Aristotle would believe that there was a limit to where your actions detract from your merit.
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