True Justice

In Book II of The Republic, Glaucon uses the story of the Ring of Gyges to explain the belief that men are just not because it is a good thing in itself but only because of its consequences. And so if a just man were given a Tolkien style magic ring which made him invisible, he would act unjustly because there was now no fear of reprisal. Justice then according to Glaucon is merely a necessary evil to prevent worse ends.

In the story, Gyges does not act justly out of love but purely out of fear. This is the kind of justice which many materialists in today's world practice since they cannot formulate an objective standard of morality and the logical conclusion of their philosophy is to do whatever further's their own self-interest with varying degrees of time preference. Some pursue a purely hedonistic lifestyle which involves maximising instant gratification with no regard to one's interest in the future. Some may even be more prudent and forward-looking and sacrifice some instant gratification for their future self interest. Most are somewhere in the middle. But nevertheless, all are motivated purely by self-interest and if they do any action that can be deemed just, it is out of this self-interest. It is purely out of fear. There are however also some Christians and others who have a recognition of the eternal, who act justly purely out of fear. Fear of eternal damnation and motivation by the promise of eternal joy. And yet still this is purely out of self-interest. Not out of love.

There are universalists who criticise the threat of eternal damnation and the uncertainty of one's eternal salvation as producing people who are not truly good but only do good because of fear of this future danger. And they have a point. In addition many protestants who advocate sola fide use a similar argument, saying that if good works assist salvation then this reduces them to being out of fear not out of love. And they have a point. But then doesn't this also apply to faith? If good works having an eternal implication demeans their status, then surely faith having eternal implications demeans its status too?

Lets rewind back to the Republic. Before going on about Gyges's ring, Glaucon asks Socrates which type of good justice falls under.

Glaucon gives three types of good. These are: 1. Things which we desire only for their consequences eg. physical and medical treatment. 2. Things we desire only for their own sake eg. joy. 3. The Highest Category which is things we desire both for their own sake and their consequences eg. knowledge and sight.

Socrates says justice is the third type. Glaucon argues that it is the first. Now the Universalist sure of his and everyone else's salvation who considers the eternal implications of faith and works as demeaning to both these things (in that it creates a group of people who do these things not out of true goodness and love but out of fear of eternal damnation) considers justice as the second type of good. They view justice as something which is only good in itself. Now this is false since justice certainly has benign consequences in everyday life. That is why the self-interested but clever materialist alluded to earlier does just actions at all.

But his view of justice is off too. His version of justice is Glaucon and Gyges's version. The first type of good. And it is also the case for some Christians who do just actions only because of fear of hell. These Christians do just actions out of fear but not out of love. Now while God tells us to fear Him and His judgement, He also wants us to do good not just out of fear but mostly out of love. Think this to yourself before you do any good action. Are you doing this action solely for approval of your fellow man? Are you doing this good action solely because you think merely doing it will gain you entry into heaven? Or are you doing it because yes you want heaven very much (and by the way this is still a good thing) but mostly because you love your neighbour and love God even more? The theological virtue of Hope in heaven is good and indeed necessary for salvation but it is nothing without the greatest of the theological virtues. Love.

Because you see, as Socrates says, justice is the third type of good. The highest category. It has temporally good consequences. It has eternally good consequences. But it is also good in itself. Because Justice is Love and Love is God. And God is Justice.