Citizens making choices about their society are asked to make them from an “original position” of equality (
left
) behind a “veil of ignorance” (wall, center), without knowing what gender, race, abilities, tastes, wealth, or position in society they will have (right).
What is the original position theory?
In John Rawls’s A Theory of Justice treatise, the ‘original position’ was defined as
a pre-political abstraction from reality in which a group of people who know nothing about themselves
, such as their age, gender, or even names, are asked to choose principles of justice that could serve as the standard for a …
What is the original position according to John Rawls?
Rawls’s original position is
an initial agreement situation wherein the parties are without information that enables them to tailor principles of justice favorable to their personal circumstances
.
What is the original position according to Rawls quizlet?
original position. –
state of nature
in social contract theory. -hypothetical situation in which parties come together to choose principles of justice to regulate the basic structure of society. -goal of the parties is to get the greatest amount of primary goods.
Why was John Rawls original position reflective of Kantian moral philosophy?
Kantian Influence and Interpretation of the Original Position. Rawls had
long admired Immanuel Kant’s moral philosophy
, making it central to his teaching of the subject. … By insisting, as against utilitarianism, on the “separateness of persons,” Rawls carries on Kant’s theme of respect for persons.
What defines a good society according to Rawls?
Rawls’s conception of society is defined by
fairness
: social institutions are to be fair to all cooperating members of society, regardless of their race, gender, religion, class of origin, natural talents, reasonable conception of the good life, and so on. Rawls also emphasizes publicity as an aspect of fairness.
What is the purpose of Rawls veil of ignorance?
Its purpose is
to explore ideas about justice, morality, equality, and social status in a structured manner
. The Veil of Ignorance, a component of social contract theory, allows us to test ideas for fairness.
What is Contractarianism theory?
The moral theory of contractarianism
claims that moral norms derive their normative force from the idea of contract or mutual agreement
. … Thus, individuals are not taken to be motivated by self-interest but rather by a commitment to publicly justify the standards of morality to which each will be held.
What is the common good philosophy?
In philosophy, economics, and political science, the common good (also commonwealth, general welfare, or public benefit) refers to either what is shared and beneficial for all or most members of a given community, or alternatively, what is achieved by citizenship, collective action, and active participation in the …
What are the two principles of justice Rawls?
Finally, Rawls ranked his principles of social justice in the order of their priority.
The First Principle (“basic liberties”) holds priority over the Second Principle
. The first part of the Second Principle (“fair equality of opportunity”) holds priority over the second part (Difference Principle).
What is Rawls difference principle?
Rawls’s difference principle requires
that economic systems be organized so that the least advantaged members of society are better off than they would be in any alternative economic arrangement
.
What does Rawls principle of equality mean quizlet?
Rawls posits
equal distribution of resources as the desirable state and then argues
that inequality can be justified only by benefits for the least advantaged. Nozick points out that resources are produced by people and that people have rights to the things they produce.
What is the main idea of Rawls theory of justice?
Rawls holds that
justice as fairness
is the most egalitarian, and also the most plausible, interpretation of these fundamental concepts of liberalism. He also argues that justice as fairness provides a superior understanding of justice to that of the dominant tradition in modern political thought: utilitarianism.
What are the two principles that Rawls says we would choose behind the veil of ignorance?
Two primary principles supplement Rawls’ veil of ignorance:
the liberty principle and the difference principle
. According to the liberty principle, the social contract should try to ensure that everyone enjoys the maximum liberty possible without intruding upon the freedom of others.
When for Rawls is an injustice tolerable?
The only thing that permits us to acquiesce in an erroneous theory is the lack of a better one; analogously, an injustice is tolerable
only when it is necessary to avoid an even greater injustice
.
What are the 3 principles of justice?
The three principles that our justice system seeks to reflect are:
equality, fairness and access
. Equality is defined in the dictionary as ‘the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities.
