What is the Difference Between Justice and Fairness?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Justice and fairness are related but distinct concepts that refer to the moral and ethical code of conduct in society. They are important considerations in various fields, including alternative dispute resolution and policy-making. Here are the key differences between the two:
- Justice is a moral concept and an ethical/normative obligation, meaning one always ought to be just. It involves giving each person what they deserve, treating individuals equally, and ensuring that society's institutions distribute benefits and burdens fairly. Justice is often discussed in terms of abstract principles and is the standard of rightness that people are held to.
- Fairness refers to the ability to apply principles in a way that removes bias and helps create an equal playing field, even if that means giving different people different tools to set them up equally. Fairness is related to justice but is not the same as it. While justice is a moral concept, fairness is a technical concept and an ethical consideration. Fairness is more focused on concrete and specific characteristics, ensuring that judgments are made without reference to one's feelings or interests.
In summary, justice is a moral concept that focuses on treating individuals equally and ensuring fair distribution of benefits and burdens in society, while fairness is a way of relating to and evaluating others without placing bias or feelings over the situation. Both concepts play a significant role in the pursuit of equity and equality, but they are distinct in their application and understanding.
Comparative Table: Justice vs Fairness
Justice and fairness are related but distinct terms that refer to the moral and ethical code of conduct in society. Here is a table highlighting the differences between the two:
| Justice | Fairness |
|---|---|
| Refers to the standard and basis for implementing and distributing resources to people | Refers to the ability to apply principles in a way that removes bias and helps create an equal playing field for everyone, even if that means giving different people different tools to set them up equally |
| Involves the distribution of benefits and burdens in society according to what people deserve, often based on principles such as desert, distributive justice, retributive justice, and compensatory justice | Involves the sharing of information and making decisions in a way that is unbiased and impartial |
| Concepts like distributive justice and corrective justice are examples of justice | Procedural justice focuses on the fairness of how decisions are made |
| John Rawls, a philosopher, is well-known for his idea of justice as fairness, which emphasizes the importance of equal opportunities and equal sharing of societal resources | Rawls also argued that the parties in the original position would choose the difference principle, which focuses on the fairness of the reciprocal relationships between individuals in society |
In summary, justice focuses on the fair distribution of resources and the implementation of moral principles in society, while fairness refers to the impartial and unbiased application of principles and decision-making processes. Both concepts are essential components of a just and equitable society.
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