A Theory of Justice(1971)
Rawls's theory of
justice revolves around the adaptation of two fundamental principles of justice
which would, in turn, guarantee a just and morally acceptable society. The
first principle guarantees the right of each person to have the most extensive
basic liberty compatible with the liberty of others. The second principle
states that social and economic positions are to be (a) to everyone's advantage
and (b) open to all.
A key problem for
Rawls is to show how such principles would be universally adopted, and here the
work borders on general ethical issues. He introduces a theoretical "veil
of ignorance" in which all the "players" in the social game
would be placed in a situation which is called the "original
position." Having only a general knowledge about the facts of "life
and society," each player is to make a "rationally prudential
choice" concerning the kind of social institution they would enter into
contract with. By denying the players any specific information about themselves
it forces them to adopt a generalized point of view that bears a strong
resemblance to the moral point of view. "Moral conclusions can be reached
without abandoning the prudential standpoint and positing a moral outlook
merely by pursuing one's own prudential reasoning under certain procedural
bargaining and knowledge constraints."
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