Reflecting on his five decades of passionate involvement in justice scholarship, teaching, and community action, a senior scholar offers some observations about the long path from Plato to Rawls, and how this relates to daily practice and political involvement. The Western justice tradition is very cerebral and rational, whereas real-world involvements are very emotional and ethically ambiguous. What does one need to know to be a conscious and ethical actor in the daily world of practical action and community politics? Is one’s intellectual the best guide? One’s emotions? What does justice mean?
