# Quote — Robert A. Heinlein, The Past Through Tomorrow

> First they junked the concept of “justice.” Examined semantically “justice” has no referent—there is no observable phenomenon in the space-time-matter continuum to which one can point, and say, “This is justice.” Science can deal only with that which can be observed and measured. Justice is not such a matter; therefore it can never have the same meaning to one as to another; any “noises” said about it will only add to confusion.
>
> But damage, physical or economic, can be pointed to and measured. Citizens were forbidden by the Covenant to damage another. Any act not leading to damage, physical or economic, to some particular person, they declared to be lawful.

- Author: [Robert A. Heinlein](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein.md)
- Book: [The Past Through Tomorrow](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/the-past-through-tomorrow.md)
- Page: 500
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Robert_A._Heinlein#The_Past_Through_Tomorrow_(1967)) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/the-past-through-tomorrow/first-they-junked

## More from this book

> “Yes, maybe it’s just one colossal big joke with no point to it.” Lazarus stood up and stretched and scratched his ribs. “But I can tell you this, Andy, whatever the answers are, here’s one monkey that’s going to keep on climbing, and looking around him to see what he can see, as long as the tree holds out.”

p. 667 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/the-past-through-tomorrow/yes-maybe-its.md)

> “What course of action do you favor?”
>
> “Me? Why, none. Mary, if there is any one thing I have learned in the past couple of centuries, it’s this: These things pass. Wars and depressions and Prophets and Covenants—they pass. The trick is to stay alive through them.”

p. 539 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/the-past-through-tomorrow/what-course-of-action.md)

> I think perhaps of all the things a police state can do to its citizens, distorting history is possibly the most pernicious.

p. 401 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/the-past-through-tomorrow/i-think-perhaps.md)