> Does any one know the difference between justice and fairness.

I tried to answer this yesterday, but the two concepts seemed so similar that I could not trust myself to distinguish them properly. Now, after some thought, it seems more clear.

Here's how I would define the two. "Justice" is that every action is met with an appropriate consequence. Good deeds are recognized and rewarded. Bad deeds are recognized and punished.

"Fairness" is that different people taking the same action get the same consequence.

If you live in a society where theft is applauded and condoned in the courts, and you go steal something, and by some anomaly of the legal system, you get punished for the theft, then, in response to YOUR theft, there is justice but not fairness.

If you get off too, like everybody else, then fairness was done but not justice.

If you live in a society that would throw anyone in prison for showing kindness to a stranger, then however unjust the society might be, it's still fair.

Ideally, of course, we strive to have both justice and fairness. Ideally, we would value justice over fairness, lest one injustice set a precedent for permitting more.

Interesting question, J.P. Thanks for inspiring some thought.