Justice as Defined by Augustine and Aristotle Essay -- The City of God

Justice as Defined by Augustine and Aristotle Justice removed, then, what atomic number 18 kingdoms but great bands of robbers? (Augustine, The City of divinity against the Pagans, p. 1471). Augustine makes quite a affirm here. The presence or absence of providedice, he implies, can make or break a great kingdom. What is this nicety that Augustine speaks of? Is it the philosopher kings that define Platos just city2, or perhaps Aristotles good life3? Augustine approaches the challenge of defining justice in a different, but not necessarily contradictory way, than his predecessors. In The City of God against the Pagans, humannesss relationship with justice is single secondary for Augustine, justice is about God. The title of his book alone reveals that Augustine is profoundly religious. Rarely in City of God is there a raillery that does not have divine elements or references, and his discussion of justice is no exception. For Augustine, justice see ms to be the combination of two things recognition by man of his place in the world below God, and unbending (or as strict as possible by a mortal) observance of Gods laws. The second part is actually the easier one of the two to examine. Man is patently supposed to follow the teachings professed in Christianitys religious texts to the best of his ability. The reading of the correct ways to follow those laws is another matter, but one that Augustine pays petty attention to. Augustines attention is focused rather on mans recognition of his place below God, and in a great sense, on mans respect for God. impeded by mans own humilityespecially when the divine providence justly resisted their pride, so that it susceptibility show by comparison with them that i... ...ry opinion would favor Aristotle, and I am inclined to agree. Aristotles secular, capitalist-tolerant view seems like it would jive more with forthwiths society than would Augustines deeply religious near-ascet icism. In America, we have it away in a world of material possessions and manage to live divulge than citizens of any other nation, and most would agree we are not life-time in a world of sin or on the knock against of turmoil. Then again, some would. Personally, I envision justice as a combination between ambition and moderationright down Aristotles alley. In addition, I appreciate Aristotles optimism and faith in us mortals, optimism not as present in Augustines vision.1 Augustine. The City of God against the Pagans. Trans. R. W. Dyson. Cambridge, 1998.2 Platos Republic3 Aristotles Politics4 Aristotle. Politics. Trans. Ernest Barker. Oxford 1995.