Wolterstorff considers the concept bound to justice after reflecting on two life-related events. The 1976 apartheid concerns prevalent in South Africa associates to one of the theories noted. He observed how the Afrikaners failed to extend justice to both the ‘colored’ people and the ‘blacks.’ Another event concerns the 1978 Palestinian issue.[1]
Wolterstorff reveals how the Palestinians reacted towards the injustice meted to them. These two events energized Wolterstorff to open up against wrongs by adhering to a proficient approach which no other event has ever observed.
Additionally, Wolterstorff becomes explicit by revealing that he is Christian. The approach he has towards justice is that it correlates with a theistic account.[2]
Although, Wolterstorff’s thoughts on justice connects with inherent rights which individuals may possess. Meanwhile, the beginning chapter of Wolterstorff’s writings notes about the existence of the concept of opposition which identifies rights to associate with justice from within or outside the scope of religion. Overall, the theory which defines justice requires the concepts of rights and language.
Concerning the western tradition, Wolterstorff defines justice to exist in the form of two primary ideas; the concept of justice as inherent rights or right order. The latter is Plato’s views as well as the individuals who conquer with his school of thought. The former refers to his view inclusive of individual who argued close to his beliefs even earlier. Equity, a concept of justice as posed by Aristotle forms the third conception. Wolterstorff focuses on explaining about justice while basing on the rights regarded inherent.[3] However, readers may sometimes face comprehension difficulties in Wolterstorff’s Chapter One. Can one understand the two fundamentally distinguished approaches to defining justice?
Bibliography
Wolterstorff, Nicholas. Justice: Rights and Wrongs. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2008.
[1] Wolterstorff, Nicholas. Justice: Rights and Wrongs. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2008, 1-18.
[2] Ibid., 1-18
[3] Wolterstorff, Nicholas. Justice: Rights and Wrongs. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2008, 21-43.
