A Systems View of Justice

Complex systems science can help us to understand justice in a way that harmonises science and religion. An efficient complex system depends on and dynamically meets the needs of all its components, which might in human terms be a definition of justice. Systems failure can lead to collapse. The information that determines system function can be physical, chemical, genetic, ecological, or at the human level in laws and values.

Globalisation has led to the emergence of environmental justice. There are dimensions of the complex system that is humanity on this planet that can be defined with the tools of science. A just civilization must include a natural environment that promotes human well-being and that supplies the environmental conditions and natural resources for that civilization on a fully sustainable basis. Science can also define the goal for environmental well-being at the local level in our community and with respect to our own lifestyle. The Bahá’í Faith provides a new set of systems values, rules and institutions necessary for our evolution to a global ever-advancing civilisation.

This is the abstract of a paper Arthur Dahl presented at the 2024 Justice Conference at de Poort, The Netherlands, on 29 March 2024. The full paper is available here.