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Our sense of justice depends on our sense of time. Justice is a phenomenon only of consciousness, because time spread out in a spatial succession is its very essence. And this is possible only in a spatial metaphor of time.
Julian Jaynes
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Justice is shaped by our understanding of time, as it exists within our consciousness.

Julian Jaynes explores the idea that our perception of justice is inherently linked to our perception of time. He argues that justice is not just a social or moral concept but is deeply rooted in the way we experience time, suggesting that consciousness itself plays a pivotal role in how we interpret and deliver justice, making it a phenomenon that relies on a metaphorical understanding of time as a spatial experience.

Themes

JusticeConsciousnessTimePhilosophyEssence

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the importance of timely justice in legal proceedings.

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