A Discussion of Mark O’Keefe’s Virtue Abounding Chapter 3 “Justice”
We move on to the second of the four cardinal virtues, justice.
I found it challenging to understand the virtue of justice, in part because I already think I know the definition of justice but also because of the individualistic culture I live in.
I think developing an understanding of this virtue, as well as a concerted effort to develop it in ourselves, could cure some of the problems in our society of alienation, loneliness, and self-centeredness.
What is Justice as a Virtue?
The first thing O’Keefe points out is justice pertains to our relations to others.
Most of us probably think of courtrooms when we think of justice, but it goes far beyond this legal application when we talk of justice as a virtue. In fact, this narrow view of justice would more accurately be the virtue vengeance, a virtue that does not sound like a virtue but in fact is a related virtue to justice.
Vengeance is the idea that a person injured by another’s unjust actions can expect compensation and that the guilty party has an obligation to pay restitution. (p. 38)
While vengeance is a part of justice, we need to broaden our understanding of this virtue.
The virtue of justice is the abiding disposition to give people what is owed to them, what is “their due” — again, not begrudgingly but with ease, smoothness, and promptness…[It} is the habitual disposition to live in right relationship with other persons (and we shall see, with God), respecting our obligations to other individuals and to the communities to which we belong and from which we benefit. (p. 30)
It is a recognition we are not islands but are interconnected and therefore have obligations to others.
Our more individualistic culture focuses more on freedom. The freedom of doing what I want as long as I do not harm you and you do not harm me. (p. 31) This worldview lessens the idea of relatedness and the obligations that come from it.
Yet this atomistic way of thinking overlooks the reality that we are designed for relationships and that society only functions well when we honor those relationships.
Every society needs some sense of justice — responsibility to others and to the group in general — in order to survive and flourish. People must both benefit and contribute, however that might be conceived and structured. (p. 30)
Imagine if we as a culture esteemed the development of virtue as this is described.
It would ease some of the anti-capitalist concerns because people in power would know they have more than the bottom line to consider; they also have responsibilities to their employees and their community at large.
It could ease some of the concerns with economic inequality as those who succeed feel obligations to those who have not. More on that below.
In addition, developing justice as a virtue helps make us fully human and living in accordance to how we are designed to live.
The foundational Christian belief about the human person is that we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26–27)…But more, this God is a Triune God: One God in Three Persons. Our God is relational within the divine nature itself…All of this means that we are relational by nature; we are our best and truest selves in authentic relationships; and our destiny is also profoundly social…This is the theological foundation of Saint Thomas’s understanding of justice. (p. 30-31)
I am not giving up my American love of freedom, but it is easy to see a loss of a sense of community in our time. Encouraging the virtue of justice broadens our view beyond personal freedom and acknowledges others. We depend on others as they depend on us to act in a way that is best for all.
To be human is to be relational and communal. To be fully human is to live well in relationship with others and in community. The virtue of justice regulates these multiple relations, insuring that with ease, smoothness, and promptness we are able to act rightly in regard to others and to our communities. (p. 29)
Aquinas breaks justice into three principal types. (p. 32)
- Commutative: assuming all individuals are equal — thus, you will respect their property and privacy because you are not more worthy than they.
- Legal (or General or Contributive): acknowledging we are duty bound to contribute to the societies we benefit from — thus, you pay taxes, keep up with current events, and vote.
- Distributive: reciprocal to contributive justice, insuring all have the right to benefit from society — thus, you can enjoy social welfare systems.
Another way to understand justice is by looking at the vice of injustice. Aquinas offers some examples of injustice beyond the obvious examples like theft and murder. (p. 35)
- harsh judgment as opposed to giving the benefit of the doubt;
- showing preference to some when objectivity is called for; and
- speaking ill of others, including gossiping and stirring up trouble.
As the contrary of the virtue of justice, the vice of injustice is the acquired disposition to withhold what is due to other individuals or to the communities to which we belong and from which we benefit. It is a failure to live in right relationship with others as a matter of acquired habit. (p. 34)
Other Virtues Related to Justice
I’ve mentioned vengeance above. Aquinas discusses some other virtues that are related to justice in that they “share its focus on the authentic health of our relationships and communities.” (p. 36)
Honesty is obviously an important part of creating healthy relationships and communities. (p. 36) Being able to trust what people are saying makes it possible to make plans and expect people to do what they say they will do.
Thankfulness may surprise you as a related virtue for justice. However, someone who has developed the virtue of thankfulness lives life with a spirit of gratitude. (p. 39)
But a spirit of gratitude to generous employers, reliable coworkers, affable store clerks, helpful law enforcement officers, and the like are also obligations. Such an attitude — being attentive to the assistance and kindness of others — makes us better human beings and encourages us to “pay it forward.” It may not be an absolute requirement for the efficient operation of a community, but it is the oil that makes it more satisfying, more comfortable and just more human. (p. 40)
Another related virtue that again, may not be a requirement but definitely makes life more enjoyable is affability (friendliness). (p. 40) This is one that often seems in short supply if you talk to anyone in customer service.
Imagine an airport with a canceled or delayed flight. Everyone is obviously inconvenienced, but how you respond is up to you. With the virtue of affability, you have the “habitual disposition to be pleasant and warm.” (p. 40)
Piety is a word we do not use much anymore. As a virtue, it means showing respect and care towards our parents, our elders, and our leaders in government, society and church. (p. 45)
I can see why we do not use the word much anymore!
Our society has grown more informal in dress and manners of addressing others…Government officials, political and religious leaders, professors, and others who hold important positions in society are no longer greeted with the same level of respect and honor…This is not to deny the fundamental dignity and equality of all persons, nor is it to encourage elitism or the promotion of pride and arrogance in a distinguished few. It is simply to say that we owe gratitude and respect to those who serve and lead us — which is no small task — and whose work contributes to our common good. (p. 45)
Similar to piety is the virtue of patriotism, another virtue that is not that popular today.
It is a virtue to acknowledge that we have gained from “the resources that our nation makes available to us and the protections it has provided.” (p. 47)
A lack of patriotism can stem from a lack of thankfulness for what we have received from our country and thus leads to a lack of obligation to contribute to it. (p. 47)
Conclusion
We see now how much developing the virtue of justice can improve each of our lives personally as well as improve the society overall.
Aquinas reminds us of what we owe to our family and friends, to those with whom we work and whose neighborhoods we share, and to those who share our national and cultural heritage…If we want to live more truly human lives and contribute and benefit from a more human society, we would do well to reflect on the insights about justice and its related virtues offered to us by Saint Thomas Aquinas. (p. 48)
If you want to see what it is like to live in a world that does not esteem justice, spend some time on the Retail Hell subreddit and see how little some in our society care about anyone other than themselves.
Reference: O’Keefe, Mark, 2014. “Justice,” Chapter 3 of Virtues Abounding, Cascade Books.
