John Rawls A Theory Of Justice Essay - 1726 Words

1a. In John Rawls: A theory of justice, Rawls state that you must imagine yourself in an original position behind a veil of ignorance. I would say another word for the veil of ignorance can be the curtain of the unknown. I would say the curtain of the unknown because the veil of ignorance is just like a curtain that is put up and behind it no one knows who they are. No one knows their race, their wealth status, their intelligence, their assets, nationality, etc. You know nothing about yourself or your natural abilities. Rawls put the original position behind a veil of ignorance so no one can is advantaged or dis advantaged in the choice of principles by the outcome of natural chance or the contingency of social circumstances. The original position is the appropriate initial status quo in which the agreements reached inside the original position MUST be fair. The key word in the previously stated sentence is fair and that’s where the veil of ignorance comes in. For example, if a man knew he was wealthy, he might find it rational to advance the principle that various taxes for welfare measures be counted unjust, if he knew he was poor he would most likely state the opposite. Both principles lead to unfairness for others which is against the original position which has to be fair. That’s why the veil of ignorance is an essential feature in the original position, so no one has a chance to impact the original position based off their class positon, race, intelligence, etc. TheShow MoreRelatedA Theory of Justice by John Rawls771 Words   |  3 PagesOriginal Position â€Æ' John Rawls discusses the original position in his book A Theory of Justice. â€Å"The Original Position and Justification† is a chapter where Rawls persuades his readers into taking the original position seriously. The original position is a position where people are equal and are rational in order to make principles that they live by fair. However, there is a problem with rational decisions being biased, where people will choose principles to benefit themselves. Therefore, the veilRead MoreJohn Rawls : A Theory Of Justice Essay1339 Words   |  6 Pages John Rawls is a world renowned, American political philosopher of the twentieth century. His views on the state of nature, society, and politics were much more distinct from previous philosophers, and his more modern or progressive life experiences can contribute to the separation between him and others, such as Aristotle, Hobbes, or Rousseau. 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He wrote an intensely religious senior thesis in college and even consideredRead MoreJohn Rawls s Theory Of Justice1471 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Rawls â€Å"A Theory of Justice.† John Rawls was an American political and moral philosopher. Rawls attempts to determine the principles of social justice. In this essay, I will elucidate John Rawls’ views on forming a social contract, the counter-arguments against Rawls’ theory and finally the state of debate on the counter-arguments. John Rawls set out on his discussion on justice and fairness in his book A Theory of Justice 1971. Rawls theory describes a society with free citizens holding equalRead MoreJohn Rawls ´ A Theory of Justice Essay698 Words   |  3 PagesJohn Rawls’ theory of justice is one of the most interesting philosophies to have emerged in modern times. It was introduced in the 1970s when A Theory of Justice was published. It was revised several times, with the most recent done in the year 1999. Essentially, the Rawlsian philosophy approaches justice according to the idea of fairness. The idea is that justice is a complex concept, and it could differ according to individual circumstance. Rawls contended that all of us are ignorant about ourselvesRead MoreJohn Rawls’ A Theory of Justice Essay964 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Rawls’ A Theory of Justice holds that a rational, mutually disinterested individual in the Original Position and given the task of establishing societal rules to maximise their own happiness throughout life, is liable to choose as their principles of justice a) guaranteed fundamental liberties and b) the nullification of social and economic disparities by universal equality of opportunities, which are to be of greatest benefit to the least advantaged members of society , . 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