I wish I could spend my entire week just watching Planet Earth.
that would be the life....
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
what is justice?
during a discussion today about economics and ethics and limits, a thought was brought up that really hit me.
I'm not sure what to do with it, either.
The thought was about Justice, and what justice really is vs. how people talk about it.
let me back up a bit and give some background on the conversation. We were discussing
whether consumption does or should reach a limit. Humans have a natural limit of what
they need to be human (we weren't sure what these limits were), but there was a point where
going past the limit meant that your highest point in life (contentment, happiness, purpose), would decline.
we talked about whether or not we should set individual limits on ourselves, or whether there should
be structural limits and such.
The topic of justice was then brought up. the question was asked, "does justice mean helping someone be human, or does it mean enabling someone to consume as much as 'we' do. rising them up to a point where we can all consume and have access to consumption. is that really justice? that's the way it is talked about - though never with those words.
we say people should be able to buy new clothes and have access to good jobs so that they can make money and buy things. the 'good life'. but if the good life, and what it means to be human, is actually outside of consumerism and is only attainable at a certain limit, then shouldn't justice be helping people to attain that limit?
but then, what is that limit. air, shelter, water and food? the ability to raise young?
does education fall in this? and if so, what kind of education?
is it education that will enable someone to develop rationality so that they can make decisions and understand their humanness? or is education meant for being able to participate in a society (knowledge, job, money, economy).
there is more to this... but I can't really grapple it all and type it out.
perhaps you should email me if you want to hear more...
"oh snell, how you mess with my mind!"
I'm not sure what to do with it, either.
The thought was about Justice, and what justice really is vs. how people talk about it.
let me back up a bit and give some background on the conversation. We were discussing
whether consumption does or should reach a limit. Humans have a natural limit of what
they need to be human (we weren't sure what these limits were), but there was a point where
going past the limit meant that your highest point in life (contentment, happiness, purpose), would decline.
we talked about whether or not we should set individual limits on ourselves, or whether there should
be structural limits and such.
The topic of justice was then brought up. the question was asked, "does justice mean helping someone be human, or does it mean enabling someone to consume as much as 'we' do. rising them up to a point where we can all consume and have access to consumption. is that really justice? that's the way it is talked about - though never with those words.
we say people should be able to buy new clothes and have access to good jobs so that they can make money and buy things. the 'good life'. but if the good life, and what it means to be human, is actually outside of consumerism and is only attainable at a certain limit, then shouldn't justice be helping people to attain that limit?
but then, what is that limit. air, shelter, water and food? the ability to raise young?
does education fall in this? and if so, what kind of education?
is it education that will enable someone to develop rationality so that they can make decisions and understand their humanness? or is education meant for being able to participate in a society (knowledge, job, money, economy).
there is more to this... but I can't really grapple it all and type it out.
perhaps you should email me if you want to hear more...
"oh snell, how you mess with my mind!"
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