Never thought of this distinction: law and justice. Perhaps never bothered to think in those terms. But there is a huge difference between law and justice. I've not really bothered to find out the definition and intricate meanings of each but what struck me is that the law has got to do with action while justice is about the being. I may be splitting hairs here but I see a slight distinction.
The law is about the act, the actions one does and the subsequent things that follow. So one breaks a law only when one has done the act. So the act is central. However, when it comes to justice, the person is central.
This concept flashed in the light of my reflection on human rights vs the human rights list. I'm beginning to see more and more clearly that human rights is more about the human being rather than the rights. Not that the rights dimension is nonsense or illogical; but that is not to be the focus of one's attention. It is the person who takes the primary position.
The law is about the act, the actions one does and the subsequent things that follow. So one breaks a law only when one has done the act. So the act is central. However, when it comes to justice, the person is central.
This concept flashed in the light of my reflection on human rights vs the human rights list. I'm beginning to see more and more clearly that human rights is more about the human being rather than the rights. Not that the rights dimension is nonsense or illogical; but that is not to be the focus of one's attention. It is the person who takes the primary position.
No comments:
Post a Comment