Definition of the Term Justice, Essay Example

Justice is a concept that features across legal, political philosophy, and ethics disciplines. According to the Oxford dictionary, justice is a noun that means, ‘a fair treatment of people’. The terminology explains the aspect of fairness to a particular subject, while at the same time, it is the legal system used to punish criminals. Classically the term Justice was used among the cardinal virtues, and was termed as the most vital of all. On the other hand, in the modern world, Justice is described as the first virtue in the social institutions (Miller). Hence the definition is dependent of the current circumstance.

In the novel ‘A raisin in the sand’, the definition of the term justice is quite wide. For instance, throughout the novel, the parents were instruments of justice by fighting black people’s discrimination (Lorraine). Hence this expounds the definition of justice as fairness and good treatment of people regardless of their race. The novel portrays the definition of economic and racial injustice through the unfair treatment of blacks in the South, especially in Illinois, though the parents were optimistic that justice would prevail, as they said. “Don’t you see that there will be young men and women, not British soldiers then, but my own black countrymen… to step out of the shadows”.  Further, the novel introduces a new definition of the term Justice, as an antonym of conformism and complacency.

The film ‘hidden figures’, revolves around the concept of injustice. It emphasizes that justice cannot exist in marginalization of specific groups of people. In this film, the group consists of black women. For instance, Katherine screams ‘I cannot do this anymore’ referring to the discrimination of restrooms, and coffee which was referred to as ‘colored restrooms’, and ‘colored coffee’ (Melfi). Hence, justice according to Hidden figures’ film, can be defined as equality among subjects. Further the definition of fair treatment is implied by the fact that while women did the work, recognition and titles were given to the men, hence showing a lack of fairness to a particular group. For example, in the film, when Katherine was asked “if you were a white male, would you wish to be an engineer?”, it is apparent that she felt the unfairness since her response was, “ I wouldn’t have to, I’d already be one”. And so, this raises another definition of justice to mean equity among subjects.

According to Actively Learn: Black Lives Matter article, the definition of justice is the legal system to punish law breakers, since the movement and demonstrations sought for the police officer who has murdered George Floyd to be punished (“Actively Learn). However, this article also supports the definition of justice, as lack of discrimination and marginalization just like the prior materials. This is because, other than the arrest of the police officers, demonstrators also introduced the aspect of shooting of an African American, unarmed man. They quoted, “…structural racism…how far the nation remains in delivering constitution’s promise of equal rights and justice for all”.  Additionally, the article adds meaning to the definition, to the extent that justice does not apply to the living only but also the dead. This is because; part of the demonstrator’s anger was the fact that the body of the deceased was left in the streets for several hours.

Therefore, justice is defined as a fair treatment of the living and the dead, and the system of punishing those that break the law. Justice can also as equal treatment of all people regardless of their race or gender.

Work Cited

Actively learn, ‘Black Lives Matter’ Actively Learn, 2020, www.read.activelylearn.com/#teacher/reader/authoring/preview/2670184/notes. Accessed on 17 March 2021

Lorraine, Hansberry. ‘A Raisin in the Sun’, 1994. New York, Vintage books

Melfi, Theodore. ‘Hidden Figures’ 2016. Twentieth Century Fox

Miller, David. ‘Justice’. Stanford Education, 2017,  www.plato.stanford.edu/entries/justice/ Accessed on 17 March 2021.

Stevenson, Angus. ‘The Oxford English Dictionary (3ed). Oxford University Press, web version 2010,  www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199571123.001.0001/m_en_gb0435410?rskey=MVeJK4&result=48741. Accessed on 17 March 2021.