Book 5 / Chapter 1
Paragraph 1 - The Nature and Scope of Justice and Injustice
Explanation - Part By Part
"With regards to justice and injustice we must (1) consider what kind of actions they are concerned with, (2) what sort of mean justice is, and (3) between what extremes the just act is intermediate."
Aristotle is introducing the concept of justice and injustice and how we should approach understanding them. He's setting up the framework for the discussion by specifying three key points to consider:
1. The type of actions related to justice and injustice: This means understanding what kinds of behaviors or deeds are connected to being just or unjust. Basically, we need to identify what actions are involved in these concepts.
2. Justice as a "mean": Aristotle often describes virtues as a "mean," or a balanced position, between two extremes of excess and deficiency. In this case, he's saying that justice, too, operates as a balance or middle ground in some sense. This idea of "mean" will play a crucial role in his ethical theory.
3. The extremes it mediates between: If justice is a "mean," then it must exist between two opposing extremes. Aristotle will explore what these extremes are and how just actions manage to strike the right balance between them.
Taken together, he's signaling that justice is more than a set of laws—it's about finding equilibrium in actions, choices, and relationships as part of a virtuous life.
"Our investigation shall follow the same course as the preceding discussions."
Aristotle is stating that the inquiry into justice and injustice will be approached in the same way as previous topics in the book. This likely refers to his method of examining virtues as means between extremes—finding a balanced, middle ground between excess and deficiency. He’s preparing to analyze justice systematically, step by step, and in relation to how it fits into his broader ethical framework.