--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Justice... is a kind of compact not to…" description: "\"Justice... is a kind of compact not to harm or be harmed.\" — Epicurus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b9/epicurus-1642_compact_justice-is-a-kind-of-compact-not-to-harm_1571402.jpg" --- # Justice... is a kind of compact not to harm or be harmed. ![“Justice... is a kind of compact not to harm or be harmed.” quote by Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b9/epicurus-1642_compact_justice-is-a-kind-of-compact-not-to-harm_1571402.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b9/epicurus-1642_compact_justice-is-a-kind-of-compact-not-to-harm_1571402.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b9/epicurus-1642_compact_justice-is-a-kind-of-compact-not-to-harm_1571402.jpg) > “Justice... is a kind of compact not to harm or be harmed.” [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Justice is a mutual agreement to avoid harming each other, forming a social compact. **In simple terms:** Justice means agreeing not to harm one another. Key Takeaway Uphold mutual respect and non‑harm. Themes ethics social contract non‑violence cooperation philosophy Mood thoughtful ethical reflective Type philosophical ethical social When to use this quote - community building - conflict resolution - legal systems Key Concepts moral philosophy ancient Greek thought human relations Questions to Reflect On - How can power dynamics affect fairness? - What mechanisms enforce the compact? A Different Perspective The view may overlook power imbalances in agreements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compact/) [Compact Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compact-harm-3324328/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Justice Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-kind-4539994/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kind Compact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-compact-5915698/) ## Related quotes > [Justice is never anything in itself, but in the dealings of men with one another in any place whatever and at any time. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/justice-is-never-anything-in-itself-but-in-the-dealings-of-men-with/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [“The problem with our sense of justice is we always seemed to be kind to beautiful and attractive criminals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/the-problem-with-our-sense-of-justice-is-we-always-seemed-to-be-kind/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [“You can’t bring justice with a kind heart; even if you could it won’t last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/you-can-t-bring-justice-with-a-kind-heart-even-if-you-could-it-won-t/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [There is no such thing as justice in the abstract; it is merely a compact between men in their various relations with each other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/there-is-no-such-thing-as-justice-in-the-abstract-it-is-merely-a-2/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [There is no such thing as justice in the abstract; it is merely a compact between men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/there-is-no-such-thing-as-justice-in-the-abstract-it-is-merely-a/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Natural justice is a compact resulting from expediency by which men seek to prevent one man from injuring others and to protect him from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/natural-justice-is-a-compact-resulting-from-expediency-by-which-men/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [We think of justice sometimes as getting what you deserve, you know - what crime was committed and what is the punishment for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/we-think-of-justice-sometimes-as-getting-what-you-deserve-you-know/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [A compact defense has always been the basis of Italy's team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabio-cannavaro/a-compact-defense-has-always-been-the-basis-of-italy-s-team/) [Fabio Cannavaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabio-cannavaro/) > [The social compact sets up among the citizens as equality of such kind, that they all bind themselves to observe the same conditions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-social-compact-sets-up-among-the-citizens-as-equality-of-such/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [It may be that my most helpful contributions to music aren't my compact discs but my articles about other great singers of the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-mccorkle/it-may-be-that-my-most-helpful-contributions-to-music-aren-t-my/) [Susannah McCorkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-mccorkle/) > [Because of my compact and muscular body composition, my short hair, and my "Johawk," I have been mistaken for a boy on many occasions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-lohman/because-of-my-compact-and-muscular-body-composition-my-short-hair-and/) [Joanna Lohman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-lohman/) > [ \[In the case of\] dangerous exercise of other powers, not granted by the said compact, the states, who are parties thereto, have the right,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/in-the-case-of-dangerous-exercise-of-other-powers-not-granted-by-the/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [You take a look at the history of African Americans in the US. There's been about thirty years of relative freedom. There was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-take-a-look-at-the-history-of-african-americans-in-the-us-there-s/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [While most trudge through their days straight-jacketed in the social compact, living for others as much as or more than for themselves, a select…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/while-most-trudge-through-their-days-straight-jacketed-in-the-social/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [... in a history of spiritual rupture, a social compact built on fantasy and collective secrets, poetry becomes more necessary than ever: it keeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/in-a-history-of-spiritual-rupture-a-social-compact-built-on-fantasy/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) ## More by Epicurus > [Most beautiful is the sight of those near and dear to us when our original kinship makes us of one mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/most-beautiful-is-the-sight-of-those-near-and-dear-to-us-when-our/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Any man who does not think that what he has is more than ample, is an unhappy man, even if he is the master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/any-man-who-does-not-think-that-what-he-has-is-more-than-ample-is-an/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [“The opinions held by most people about the gods are not true conceptions of them but fallacious notions, according to which awful penalties are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-opinions-held-by-most-people-about-the-gods-are-not-true/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Death is nothing to us: for that which is dissolved is without sensation; and that which lacks sensation is nothing to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/death-is-nothing-to-us-for-that-which-is-dissolved-is-without/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Neither one should hesitate about dedicating oneself to philosophy when young, nor should get tired of doing it when one's old, because no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/neither-one-should-hesitate-about-dedicating-oneself-to-philosophy/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [If thou wilt make a man happy, add not unto his riches but take away from his desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/if-thou-wilt-make-a-man-happy-add-not-unto-his-riches-but-take-away/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Being happy is knowing how to be content with little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/being-happy-is-knowing-how-to-be-content-with-little/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Injustice is not evil in itself, but only in the fear and apprehension that one will not escape those who have been set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/injustice-is-not-evil-in-itself-but-only-in-the-fear-and-apprehension/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Riches do not exhilarate us so much with their possession as they torment us with their loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/riches-do-not-exhilarate-us-so-much-with-their-possession-as-they/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [I have never wished to cater to the crowd; for what I know they do not approve, and what they approve I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/i-have-never-wished-to-cater-to-the-crowd-for-what-i-know-they-do-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [The pleasant life is not produced by continual drinking and dancing, nor sexual intercourse, nor rare dishes of sea food and other delicacies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/the-pleasant-life-is-not-produced-by-continual-drinking-and-dancing/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Be moderate in order to taste the joys of life in abundance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/be-moderate-in-order-to-taste-the-joys-of-life-in-abundance/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [If the gods have the will to remove evil and cannot, then they are not all-powerful. If they are neither able nor willing, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/if-the-gods-have-the-will-to-remove-evil-and-cannot-then-they-are-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Of all things which wisdom provides to make life entirely happy, much the greatest is the possession of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/of-all-things-which-wisdom-provides-to-make-life-entirely-happy-much/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/death-does-not-concern-us-because-as-long-as-we-exist-death-is-not/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) [Explore all 209 Epicurus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) ## More Compact quotes > [... in a history of spiritual rupture, a social compact built on fantasy and collective secrets, poetry becomes more necessary than ever: it keeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/in-a-history-of-spiritual-rupture-a-social-compact-built-on-fantasy/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [While most trudge through their days straight-jacketed in the social compact, living for others as much as or more than for themselves, a select…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/while-most-trudge-through-their-days-straight-jacketed-in-the-social/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [You take a look at the history of African Americans in the US. There's been about thirty years of relative freedom. 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The States ... formed the compact, acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-calhoun/the-error-is-in-the-assumption-that-the-general-government-is-a-party/) [John C. Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-calhoun/) > [I don't like the compression on compact discs. It's lacking in air, and it's lacking in majesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-faithfull/i-don-t-like-the-compression-on-compact-discs-it-s-lacking-in-air-and/) [Marianne Faithfull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-faithfull/) > [Hence a ship is said to be tight, when her planks are so compact and solid as to prevent the entrance of the water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-falconer/hence-a-ship-is-said-to-be-tight-when-her-planks-are-so-compact-and/) [William Falconer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-falconer/) > [America was good enough to make a small compact lighter weight nuclear weapon. 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