Mill considers justice to be a component of morality. He claims that justice entails violating the rights of certain individuals in order to ensure that others who deserve other rights the most are awarded them. On the 17th of February 2016, early in the morning, a guy called the police and threatened to shoot anyone who arrived to his residence. While making the call, a woman could be heard screaming for help in the background, alleging that her and her child's lives were in danger. The police reacted and summoned the Special Emergency Reaction Team. They noticed that the man was holding two guns (AND n.p). This was putting the life of the young boy, the mother and other people in the vicinity in danger. Eventually, the police resorted to shooting the man to rescue those around him. Though efforts were made to save his life after the shooting, he died at the spot. In this incident, the man was denied his right to life in order to preserve that of the woman, the boy and other people around the house.
Many people will agree with the officers that they did the right thing in this scenario. People in the society are granted rights because they need them to prosper and flourish. The rights are meant to maximise the good by increasing happiness and minimize suffering and evil. Suffering is a concept that is not compatible to happiness. Therefore, it is necessary that the government comes in to eliminate suffering by applying justice. The authorities should first be able to figure out which action or rights will lead to greater happiness. Second, they should compare this happiness with the suffering that will be borne by violating other rights. In the case of the response of the police above, they determined that by shooting the man, they would have saved an infinite number of lives that his actions were likely to put in danger.
Works Cited
Alaska Dispatch News. Troopers kill Big Lake-area man after hours-long standoff involving child. ADN, February 17, 2017. Web: https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/crime-courts/2017/02/17/troopers-kill-big-lake-area-man-after-hours-long-standoff-involving-a-child/. February 18, 2017.
