Existence

what does it mean for something to exist? does 'justice', 'morality', 'ethics' exist?

XH is of the opinion that they don't. i however think that they do. they do because there are people who think they do and define what they think are 'justice', 'morality' and 'ethics'. and by that act of thinking that they do and defining them, these people bring into existence 'justice', 'ethics' and 'morality'.

an example, if i think of a purple chicken, the purple chicken does not exist, but the concept of the purple chicken, the idea of it does exist, right here in my head. and perhaps even in yours now. so if i think of 'justice', then at the very least, the concept of 'justice' does exist in my mind. similarly for 'ethics' and 'morality'. but in essence, 'justice', 'morality' and 'ethics' are but mere concepts which once in a while manifests themselves through actions. so the fact the the concepts of 'justice', 'morality' and 'ethics' are brought into existence because of my thinking of them means that 'justice', 'morality' and 'ethics' as i've thought of and defined them exist.

XH rightly points out that different people have different notions of 'justice', 'ethics' and 'morality'. and i agree. so there exist different sorts of 'justice', 'ethics' and 'morality'.

and quite a lot of trouble with the world comes in how to reconcile the various definitions of 'justice', 'morality' and 'ethics', as well as to reconcile the concepts of 'justice', 'morality' and 'ethics' with the realistic translation of these concepts into action.