Ideas on our most recent discussion: Is the society of BNW just?
Defining the abstract of justice requires rather bluntly a lot of guts. I feel very hesitant to put together words on the subject, but feel it's necessary to compile some ideas before commenting on this issue. The qualities of a just society so far that I have seen include that it musn't infringe upon the rights of people to do as they please so long as what they please does not interfere with others' rights. It reminds me a lot of those classic Asimov three laws of robotics:
It's sort of a weird response, but as we've seen, robots and humans are really terribly tight. Basically, justice is entirely dependent on people not screwing around with other people, but still being able to do whatever they desire. In this sense, I cannot possibly argue that BNW isn't just. After all, people really don't mess around with the other Castes, and aren't aware of other pleasures outside of their rank. If you never knew higher things existed, you would never desire them, and thus you pass the justice test.
We desire condemnation of this society, because we more or less assume we can see the big picture of society. In BNW, there is still a fairly large amount of wool over the eyes. Thus, the people, though harvested, ignorant, and linear in existence still live a just existence. They do as they are told, are able to find simple pleasures, and continue to live. But what of that five-tiered system of self-actualization? I still think this society does not meet this test: do people ever really feel true pleasure, or just simulated happiness? Is true happiness required for self-actualization, and does this produce justice?
Great, more questions than answers.
Defining the abstract of justice requires rather bluntly a lot of guts. I feel very hesitant to put together words on the subject, but feel it's necessary to compile some ideas before commenting on this issue. The qualities of a just society so far that I have seen include that it musn't infringe upon the rights of people to do as they please so long as what they please does not interfere with others' rights. It reminds me a lot of those classic Asimov three laws of robotics:
- A robot may not harm a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
- A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
- A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
It's sort of a weird response, but as we've seen, robots and humans are really terribly tight. Basically, justice is entirely dependent on people not screwing around with other people, but still being able to do whatever they desire. In this sense, I cannot possibly argue that BNW isn't just. After all, people really don't mess around with the other Castes, and aren't aware of other pleasures outside of their rank. If you never knew higher things existed, you would never desire them, and thus you pass the justice test.
We desire condemnation of this society, because we more or less assume we can see the big picture of society. In BNW, there is still a fairly large amount of wool over the eyes. Thus, the people, though harvested, ignorant, and linear in existence still live a just existence. They do as they are told, are able to find simple pleasures, and continue to live. But what of that five-tiered system of self-actualization? I still think this society does not meet this test: do people ever really feel true pleasure, or just simulated happiness? Is true happiness required for self-actualization, and does this produce justice?
Great, more questions than answers.
posted by Graham Rosby at 8:45 PM
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