Essay Questions

Show how Rawls demonstrates an excellent understanding of justice in A Theory of Justice.

Rawls employs the largely philosophical A Theory of Justice to present his excellent knowledge of justice. In this work, Rawls defines justice as fairness in the sense that it enhances impartiality between people as well as support people from both low and high economic status in society. To support his argument, Rawls employed the original position in which he used an example of two people who are interacting with one another but mutually impassive with regards to the indulgences and activities of the other. In this line, the two are protected from the thoughts of the other through a veil of ignorance. He puts great emphasis on the fact that equality should take precedence over the rest of the amendments that he proposes. Rawls then later presents the interaction between all of these principles in creating an enabling society where justice and equality prevail—a livable society.

How does Rawls use A Theory of Justice as an attempt at encouraging the development of a potent and sound society?

A Theory of Justice can be regarded as John Rawls's attempt at encouraging the development of a society in which justice and equality prevail. A society that is fair and as such potent and sound. Rawls depicts the significant role that human beings can play in terms of encouraging those, as mentioned above, that by standing up for that which is just and fair, situations can be set off to favor the development of healthy societies. Rawls argues in favor of the reconciliation of freedom and equality in an ethical and honorable way in the creation of a society that is well-ordered.

Highlight the principles of justice as brought out by Rawls in A Theory of Justice.

In A Theory of Justice, John Rawls develops a modification of the principles of justice throughout the pages of the work. In particular, Chapter forty six summarizes the two principles of justice which are: “Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive total system of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar system of liberty for all.” This principle is often called the “greatest equal liberty principle.” On the other hand, the second principle which is subdivided into two states that social as well as economic disparities should be organized such that: “they are both to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged, consistent with the just savings principle, and attached to offices and positions open to all under conditions of fair equality of opportunity.”