CHUKWUMA JAMES J.
INTRODUCTION
The topic of this intellectual adventure is
“knowledge and justice as the pillars of an ideal society”. This topic will be better discussed and understood if salient terms in the topic is defined and broken down for the better understanding of those reading this piece.
KNOWLEDGE : the Wikipedia search engine defined knowledge as the familiarity
with someone or something, which can include facts, information, description, and/or skills acquired through experience or education.
JUSTICE: doing things, the right way devoid of sentiments or compromise, treating everyone equally or in a short legal
sense- the application of the law. It is worthy to note that justice has no singular definition, therefore its scope cannot be limited to a particular definition.
IDEAL SOCIETY : a society which is worthy of emulation, a society where things are done the right way. It is also worthy
to note that the word “ideal society cannot be ascertained or explained“, putting it rather succinctly its definition is more of subjective than objective because it
differs, because of personal sentiments and
believes. The issue of ideal society is so diversified as can be seen in the various positions of great writers or men who has influenced the course of history. A clear example can be seen in Plato’s believe of an ideal society from that of Mohammed
the great prophet of the Islamic religion.
Although the both has different views of what an ideal society should be, the both posited that knowledge and justice
were very much salient in establishing an ideal society. The above stated fact goes at length to explain the important of knowledge and Justice in establishing an ideal society.
“Knowledge And Justice: The Pillars Of An
Ideal Society”
The role played by knowledge and justice in building an ideal society, cannot be overstated. The both are intertwined and
one cannot exist in the absence of another, this is to say that for it to be said that a particular society has attained the level of being referred to as an ideal society,
there must be knowledge and justice playing its respective roles.
The both can be likened to an engineer who before he can constructs a particular edifice, he has to gain the knowledge of it, in the absence of knowledge he cannot construct anything no matter how hard working he is. The same thing follows when he has the knowledge and do not put it into practice, he cannot construct anything no matter how intelligent he is or how well learned he is in the said field. This is to say that knowledge is stillborn if it not followed up by justice and justice is useless if the knowledge is not there.
The importance of these two gigantic pillars of an ideal society, cannot be exhausted in this write up and I therefore wish to discuss this salient issues which are the pillars of an ideal society in the six following dimensions:
1. Economic dimension
2. Spiritual dimension
3. Social dimension
4. Educational dimension
5. Legal dimension
6. Political dimension
1. ECONOMIC DIMENSION : The application of knowledge and justice, in the
economic dimension of the society is to aid
better it, it is very important. The economic situation in our country is so bad not because we cannot help it. But because we have decided to do away with the necessary knowledge and justice that would have aided economic boom cum growth. In certain situations some of the problems of our economic sectors is been identified, but the inability of the government to carryout the dictates of the economists who identified the problem justly has made the
knowledge stillborn like we rightly pointed out above, for the economy to be better, those problems identified through the
aid of the knowledge of economists should be followed up strictly and then our economy will get better if knowledge and justice is applied in this sector, it will go to an extent to better it and it is only a good economy that is emulate which means it tilts towards an ideal society and it can
only be made possible through applying strictly, knowledge and Justice in making our society an ideal one.
2. SPIRITUAL DIMENSION: The importance of knowledge and justice as pillars of an ideal society is evident in an important dimension of the society which is the spiritual dimension. Here, there must be a particular knowledge of various facts and believes of a particular religion held unto by people and that facts can only be materialized when it is followed up strictly by justly carrying out the dictates of the knowledge a person has acquired. A clear example is a Christian who wants to go to heaven,he must first of all get the knowledge of things required to go to heaven and fully follow them justly and strictly before he stands any chance of going to heaven, if he merely knows of it but do not act he will still end up in hell, if he acts without knowledge,he may be doing the wrong thing believing if to be doing the wrong thing believing it to be the right thing like Saul <St. Paul> in the Holy Bible. The same thing applies to a Moslem and a traditionalist and any other religion. The betterment of a society’s religion through knowledge and Justice will make it worthy of emulation thereby giving credence to the fact that they are both pillars of an ideal society.
3. SOCIAL DIMENSION: the social aspect of the society which has to do with the whole of the society and its environs can be made better through the application of knowledge and justice. The application of certain knowledge can help to cure the anomalies of the society through following it justly, this goes further to emphasize the importance of knowledge and Justice as pillar of an ideal society.
4. EDUCATIONAL DIMENSION: the educational dimension of the society is
presently, one of the most important aspects of the society, if not the most important aspect. The betterment of the
society came through the impacting of the necessary knowledge on the members of the society and then following the knowledge impacted justly and this
can only be achieved through education, this goes at length to show the importance of education in making our society an ideal one but education can not do this without
the aid of knowledge and justice. This further shows the undeniable fact
that knowledge and justice are pillars of an ideal society.
5. LEGAL DIMENSION : the importance of the legal dimension of the society cannot be overstated because all the other aspects of the society base its existence on the various rules governing a given society and these
rules are given life by the legal institution. The society which is ideal or craves to become an ideal one cannot do that
without the legal system and it can only happen when there is knowledge of the justice law and its strict application which tilts at the rules of law and if the rule of law
is applied in the society, everyone is seen as
equal and treated so and the society becomes better. It however should
be noted that only knowledge cannot bring about this because, to know the law and refuse to apply if render it useless and to try to apply a law one has no knowledge
of will lead to manifest absurdity.
6. POLITICAL DIMENSION: the society can not exist without politics , and before a society because an ideal one, those at the helms of the affairs as well as the followers must give their best. This however is an
adventure in futility if there is no knowledge of the nitty gritty of politics and then the strict application of it to yield positive result.
CONCLUSION-
The above stated facts has clearly given
credence to the statement that knowledge and justice are the pillar of an ideal
society. A lot of people do say I have the knowledge and I have applied it justly, but it is yet to yield any positive result but I have this to say….
“check out for where you
didn’t do it well and try harder.
Good result don’t often come the first time but it will surely come.
don’t be discouraged and remember that consistency wears away the rock of ignorance.”
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© 2017
About the author
CHUKWUMA JAMES J.
A law student Faculty of law COOU.
He had his nursery and primary education, at Immaculate conception nursery and primary school Onitsha where he obtained his first school leaving certificate. He received his junior and senior secondary education , at the prestigious All Hallows Seminary Onitsha where he bagged B.E.C.E., Diploma in Latin ,WASSSEC and NECO certificates respectively.
He is one of the members of LIFIN,out to sacrifice and give their all for the betterment of the forum.
He enjoys reading, writing and educating people .He believes in academic cum intellectual emancipation and that things should be done the right way devoid of sentiments or compromise .