Justice

Abstract

From its earliest roots in Greek philosophy, among the most prominent virtues—and arguably the most important of the social virtues—has been justice. While during this same period political philosophy focused intense energy on understanding justice as a property or quality of societies, discussion of justice as a virtue of individuals mostly disappeared. But justice as a virtue of individual character has, along with the other virtues, regained footing as work examining it has increased not only in philosophy but also in social psychology and other empirical fields of study. This volume aims to demonstrate some of the breadth of that thinking and research. It is a collection of new essays solicited from philosophers and political theorists, psychologists, economists, biologists, and legal scholars. Each contribution focuses on some aspect of what makes us just people, either by examining the science that explains the development of justice as a virtue, by highlighting virtue cultivation within distinctive traditions of empirical or philosophical thought, or by adopting a distinctive perspective on justice as an individual trait and its contribution to a society of thriving people. The book aims to stimulate further work in justice as an individual virtue and in how we can become more just as individuals.