Aristotelian Defense of Justice: Strengths and Weaknesses

This paper explores the strengths and weaknesses of Aristotelian thought in regards to his defense of justice. Aristotle's conception of justice is focused on contributions made according to one's ability and rewards based upon their merit. He believed that by establishing a system where people are compensated for their efforts, individuals are able to act virtuously as it contributes to the overall good of society. This paper will discuss the benefits of this approach but also look into some potential drawbacks associated with this type of outlook.

A primary strength of Aristotle's view on justice is its emphasis on individual merit, which encourages people to strive towards excellence in all aspects of life. When individuals receive appropriate compensation for their work, they can feel valued and motivated to continue working hard or improving upon themselves. This is beneficial to society as a whole since it encourages people to pursue excellence, leading to increased productivity and prosperity. Additionally, this system can also create an atmosphere of fairness and equality, as everyone is compensated according to their efforts.

A potential weakness of Aristotle's view on justice is that it perpetuates the idea of inequality between individuals who have different abilities or levels of expertise in certain areas. By awarding rewards based only upon merit, those with greater skills or knowledge may be favored over those who are less capable. This could lead to an unequal distribution of resources, where the more privileged members of society receive higher benefits than those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. It also risks creating a system which rewards luck rather than effort in terms of success, which could lead to a sense of injustice among those who do not have the same advantages.

Overall, Aristotle's defense of justice has many strengths, such as its emphasis on individual merit and its potential to create an equitable distribution of resources. However, it also presents some drawbacks in terms of inequality between individuals with varying levels of ability and luck being rewarded instead of effort. While there are clear benefits to this approach, it is important to consider both sides when examining the implications for justice in society.