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If Love Then Justice
Author(s) -
Rimor Mordechai
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
sociological inquiry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.446
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1475-682X
pISSN - 0038-0245
DOI - 10.1111/1475-682x.00050
Subject(s) - economic justice , realm , happiness , sociology , feeling , interdependence , philosophy of love , perception , social psychology , criminology , law , psychology , epistemology , psychoanalysis , philosophy , political science , social science
Love belongs to the personal realm, while justice belongs to the public. Love originated evolutionarily in the subjective parent‐child relationship. Justice originated in the objective perception of our social relationships. Both concepts have deep roots in our feelings. Although justice and love are interdependent, love is a prerequisite to justice. Most of those who love would behave justly to their loved ones, but not vice versa. Laws and norms try unsuccessfully to enhance love among us. However, they would hardly attain justice. With love we do not need laws or armies. Justice would necessarily prevail, and much more. Intuitively and psychologically, love is more basic than justice for our existence. Research shows that in our pursuit of happiness, love plays a central role, while justice does not. For many, love is also a goal of our existence. “The long demand for justice exhausts the love which nevertheless gave it birth.” (source unknown)