Justice is often described as "blind," and in one sense this description is accurate. Justice requires that we approach people without prejudice—that is, without previous opinions based on a person's provenance or on rumor or popular belief. We examine only the objective evidence of that person's actions.

On the other hand, justice does not require or allow us to remain blind to a person's behavior. On the contrary, it requires that we pass appropriate judgment after sufficient relevant evidence has been gathered, and that we act on that judgment. Whoever judges before examining all the relevant evidence acts unjustly. But whoever refuses to judge or to act after clear evidence has been presented commits an equally grave injustice.

Justice sometimes requires the courage to stand up for one's beliefs against public opinion. Such courage requires the firm conviction that one is right, a conviction arising from the knowledge that one has practiced rationality, integrity, and the other virtues consistently. When such conviction is lacking, people often fail to judge or to act on that judgment. Fearing public scorn, they may hesitate to defend those who are unjustly vilified—or they may refrain from negative judgment, mistakenly believing such policy to be generous and compassionate.

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