Law and Justice in Society
Law and Justice in Society
Martin Luther King once stated, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Would most people agree with this statement by this highly lauded historical figure? It is very possible that a majority of the people in the world would acquiesce to the powerful words of Dr. Martin Luther King. What about those that would disagree with this statement? What would their argument against this utterance be? Is unknown injustice still a threat to justice everywhere? For instance, if someone had the power of invisibility and stole a couple thousand from a prominent individual, would that threat justice? If Socrates was alive in our century, these could very well be the type of questions he might pose. Socrates was well-known for asking questions that nobody really wanted vocalized because they were thought of as unthinkable. This inquisitive personality ultimately led to Socrates’ death by execution. It is difficult to comprehend how Socrates was still committed to “justice” even though the very government he loved actually put him to death. One may accept Socrates’ reasoning in affirming that to abide by the rules to vindicate your belief in the laws, upholds justice as well as presenting a good-nature rather than foolishness.
If to abide by the laws, would be to preserve justice then laws preserve justice. This statement is a premise that Socrates could have believed in. Many may think that Socrates was a fool to accept his fate and not try to escape. At first glance, it seems like Socrates was beetle headed not to escape. If one takes a deeper look into the mind of Socrates, one might realize that he has a complicated set of morals. Socrates believed in following the laws, but he also has faith in his God. There may seem to be a conflict between both beliefs. In Apology, written by Plato, Socrates states, “Men of Athens, I honor and love you, but I shall obey God rather than you, and while I have life and strength I shall never cease from the practice and teaching of philosophy.” His morals apply to God in conjunction with the laws set by the government in Athens.
It is fascinating to watch Socrates’ mind work. He follows a natural law of questioning...