Truth Chasers

By Farah G. Decano

 

HEARD of storm chasers?

Well, they happen to be individuals who are roused by the sight of a tornado. To them, these violent clashes of hot and cold winds resulting to a beautiful coil of whirling clouds are a sight to behold; a mystery to be solved; and a delightful unknown to be discovered.

My nephews, 15 and 13 years old, have a similar strange fascination for this beautiful chaos for over two years now. Not by tornadoes, though, but by the ostensible conflicts in the realm of ideas.  The anarchy of notions out there appeal to them like clusters of stars spinning around a vortex.  They see accessibility to this galaxy of spiraling abstractions through me.

“Is justice inherently good?”

“Is there such thing as evil justice?”

The older nephew messaged me.  “Is this a school assignment, Uno?” I asked.  I want to make sure that I am not answering his homework. He answered, “nope, just some random thoughts.”

Google. That would have been my answer right off the bat.  I surmised that he probably wanted my point of view.  There is a plethora of legal theories that explain what justice is: deontology, consequentialism, utilitarian, and many more.  But I remember Cicero’s explanation of justice: to render everyone his due.  It is inherently good.  In giving what is due, one must observe not only the proper process but also the substantive and humanitarian considerations.  Evil justice is not justice at all.

“Then, why is justice not perceived as ‘not good’ by some people under some circumstances?”

His follow-up question now pertained to the perception of justice.  This is easier, I told myself. People have varying upbringings, educational backgrounds, and development of consciences. These differences result to disparity in the appreciation of justice.

 “Does fair procedure, like lottery, justify a fair result?” 

My brows furrowed and my eyes glared at the phone. I was surprised because, this time, it was Jiro, my younger nephew, messaging me.  It seemed like a follow-up question on the proper process I earlier discussed with Uno. I answered in the negative. Equal chances do not necessarily translate to equitable result. Lottery, sometimes, is the abandonment of responsibility, especially decision-making, to chances. Sometimes, it takes courage to see through a fair action.

“If they agreed to the lottery, do you think the consent of all members make an act morally justifiable?”  

“The rightness or wrongness of some acts are not dependent on consent,” I replied to my younger nephew.

I shudder at every private message they send me.  It felt like being back in law school and subjected to a graded recitation. They are applying the Socratic method on me.  I text their mom, Blanche, my ate. “Your sons are harassing me with difficult questions.” Of course, she knew that was a compliment in disguise.  She laughed and said they just want to tinker with my mind because their questions pertain to law.

These rascals want to enter my thoughts and get caught in the whirlpool. The more they ask questions, the nearer they get to my core. Their thirst for knowledge is like centripetal force drawing them to the center. Soon, they will discover that in the vortex of our joint whirling thoughts, we will find both nothingness and emptiness present.

Nothingness and emptiness are two different concepts.  Emptiness refers to a condition of a receptacle. It has the capability of being filled up. Nothingness indicates no space at all. To find nothingness in the crux is to realize the presence of a greater force or energy that causes the scintillation of the center. Ah, my curious nephews, the answers are not my own doing. I know nothing.

To find emptiness in the vortex holds a promise, though.  It is a potential for the receptacle to be filled with truths.  We continue our search until we find the ultimate causes of things.

Perhaps, my inquisitive nephews would ask me, how could these contradictions exist simultaneously in the centre?  Oh well, I will let their tempestuous curiosity be.

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