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The midterm asks you to take on what is arguably the oldest challenge in philosophical ethics: the very possibility of morality at all. It comes loosely from Plato’s Republic in the "Ring of Gyges" tale. It is important that you address the scenario as it is presented here. Do not tamper with it or alter it to fit your own moral construct. To this point in the course, we have addressed practical real life problems. One more general way to look at these problems of race, harassment, profit, social responsibility, etc, is through the concept of justice. For the ancient Greeks, justice was the virtue of virtues. Here is your scenario.

You are talking to a bright teenager who says to you the following:

Justice is just whatever those in power say it is. Whoever is in charge, whoever rules, defines for everyone else what is just and unjust. And that’s because they have the power to do so, to enforce the rules the way they want them enforced. Basically justice is whatever those who control society make it out to be. The rest of us just go along to get along. If we had the power to take what we want, we would, but since we don’t have that power, we "behave" and act civil towards one another. Man, that ain’t really being moral. If you have total control, you move without fear and can do what you want – can make justice your own way. Like in a video game when you get a superpower and can go berserk on anything for a while without fear of sustaining any retaliatory damage. So, that’s all justice is, really. It is whatever those in power want it to be to benefit them. I only appear to be moral, good, just, whatever, because I fear payback and do not have the power. Power dispels fear and allows me to do whatever I want with justice. Anyways, that’s all justice is. Whatever the powerful want it to be to serve their own needs. If I had that kind of total power, I’d make my justice, too. Anyone would.

Think hard about this prescient teenager’s challenge. Is there any real justice and morality to be witnessed? Or is it all merely appearance, given the reality of power? You may use any of the issues raised in the course thus far, or go beyond, to try to respond to this scenario. Hint: are humans more motivated by fear and competitive control, or love and cooperative solidarity?