Values and Sentiments of the Order until Justice

24 August 2026, Version 1
This content is an early or alternative research output and has not been peer-reviewed by Cambridge University Press at the time of posting.

Abstract

Moving forward the analysis of sentiments: what is Justice? We commonly say it's the right thing, right idea, right person, and it reassures us. But the true, full sense of Justice comes at the end of a long maturation process that begins with the human aptitude to associate emotions with ideas, through innate influences, conditioning, and evaluations. Emotions that stem from the primal duality of pleasure, which becomes charm, then esteem for certain ideas that become attractive; and pain, which portends shame and contempt, then rejection. The desire to be fascinated spreads wonder (exaggerated in miraculousness) toward the broad and grateful outcome of personal glory and Good. All values, of esteem and disesteem, positive and negative, are gathered together in conception to which Ego turns in the pleasure of religiosity (excess is superstition), morality (moralism), beauty (vanity), to gain social prestige (stardom). Feelings balanced by worldliness (excess is vulgarity), moderation supported by potential shame (excess is guilt), admiration (suggestion), gratitude (veneration) towards others. But source of everything is the primordial impulses that are channelled into moderate or exaggerated feelings in both extroverted and introverted modes, which, as they grow, become increasingly moderated, developing the mediating and balancing virtue of Justice.

Keywords

Instincts and values
wonder and beauty
talent
judgment
prestige
religiosity
morality
and guilt
social values and sentiments
excess and mediation.

Supplementary materials

Title
Description
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Title
Ambrogio and the Good Government
Description
Hall of Peace in Siena's Public Palace. Pictorial cycle imbued with Aristotle's concept of Common Good: Brief description of a society that wants to be happy by living common values in a clear separation between Good and Evil. I, Roberto Bani, am the sole author of this brief analysis of Ambrogio Lorenzetti's fresco.
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