--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It may be that considerations of justice…" description: "\"“It may be that considerations of justice are a central element of ethical thought that transcends the relativism of distance. Perhaps this, too, comes..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/bernard-williams-15194_justice_it-may-be-that-considerations-of-justice_2955247.png" --- # It may be that considerations of justice are a central… ![“It may be that considerations of justice are a central element of ethical thought that transcends the relativism of distance. Perhaps this, too, comes from a feature of the modern world. We have various conceptions of social justice, with different political consequences; each has comprehensible…” quote by Bernard Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/bernard-williams-15194_justice_it-may-be-that-considerations-of-justice_2955247.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/bernard-williams-15194_justice_it-may-be-that-considerations-of-justice_2955247.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/bernard-williams-15194_justice_it-may-be-that-considerations-of-justice_2955247.png) > ““It may be that considerations of justice are a central element of ethical thought that transcends the relativism of distance. Perhaps this, too, comes from a feature of the modern world. We have various conceptions of social justice, with different political consequences; each has comprehensible roots in the past and in our sentiments. Since we know that we do not accept their past legitimations, but otherwise are not sure how to read them, we are disposed to see past conceptions of justice as embodiments of ideas that still have a claim on modern people. To this extent, we see them as in real confrontation with each other and with modern ideas.”” [Bernard Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that concepts of justice persist across time, influencing modern thought despite changing contexts. **In simple terms:** Justice ideas endure and affect modern ideas. Key Takeaway Recognize historical justice ideas in current debates. Themes justice ethics history relativism Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - legal reform - policy making - academic discussion - public debate Key Concepts philosophy political theory social constructs Questions to Reflect On - How do past justice concepts shape today’s policies? - Can we separate justice from its historical roots? A Different Perspective Historical contexts may distort original intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conceptions Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceptions-justice-1569838/) [Considerations Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/considerations-justice-4474374/) [Ethical Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethical-thought-4022769/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Justice Embodiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-embodiments-4474375/) [Modern world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-world/) [Social justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-justice/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The religious urge in man is not a mere passing phase in the history of his spiritual development, but the ultimate source of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-asad/the-religious-urge-in-man-is-not-a-mere-passing-phase-in-the-history/) [Muhammad Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-asad/) > [“Law is neither a divine revelation nor a scientific discovery. 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Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-b-morse/) > [“She’d thought Troy stank: the corpse piles, the fires, the fish guts thoughtfully left out for the gods—gee fucking thanks, guys, just what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/she-d-thought-troy-stank-the-corpse-piles-the-fires-the-fish-guts/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [“Virtually all letter writers confessed how their encounter with Nietzsche's philosophy either emboldened or chastened them, liberated them from old falsehoods, or saddled them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ratner-rosenhagen/virtually-all-letter-writers-confessed-how-their-encounter-with/) [Jennifer Ratner-Rosenhagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ratner-rosenhagen/) > [“Moderates in every faith are obliged to loosely interpret (or simply ignore) much of their canons in the interests of living in the modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/moderates-in-every-faith-are-obliged-to-loosely-interpret-or-simply/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) ## More by Bernard Williams > [People have been predicting the death of philosophy since the 17th century. 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