John Rawls
An American philosopher whose 'A Theory of Justice' proposed a thought experiment of the 'original position' and 'veil of ignorance' to derive principles of a just society.
Quotes by John Rawls
Justice is the first virtue of social institutions, as truth is of systems of thought.
Each person possesses an inviolability founded on justice that even the welfare of society as a whole cannot override.
The principles of justice are chosen behind a veil of ignorance.
No one knows his place in society, his class position or social status, nor does anyone know his fortune in the distribution of natural assets and abilities, his intelligence, strength, and the like.
All social primary goods—liberty and opportunity, income and wealth, and the bases of self-respect—are to be distributed equally unless an unequal distribution of any or all of these goods is to the advantage of the least favored.
The two principles of justice are: First: each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive scheme of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar scheme of liberties for others. Second: social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both (a) reasonably expected to be to everyone's advantage, and (b) attached to positions and offices open to all.
The basic structure of society is the primary subject of justice.
The original position is a hypothetical situation, not an actual historical state of affairs.
A well-ordered society is one effectively regulated by a public conception of justice.
The principles of justice are those that free and rational persons concerned to further their own interests would accept in an initial position of equality.
The difference principle requires that social and economic inequalities be arranged so that they are to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged members of society.
Liberty can be restricted only for the sake of liberty itself.
The concept of justice I take to be defined by the role of its principles in assigning rights and duties and in defining the appropriate division of social advantages.
Justice as fairness is not a complete contract theory.
The priority of liberty means that liberty can be limited only for the sake of liberty.
The intuitive idea is that since everyone's well-being depends upon a scheme of cooperation without which no one could have a satisfactory life, the division of advantages should be such as to draw forth the willing cooperation of everyone taking part in it, including those less well situated.
The problem of justice is to specify the principles that would be chosen by rational persons in an initial situation of equality.
The principles of justice apply to the basic structure of society and govern the assignment of rights and duties and regulate the distribution of social and economic advantages.
The concept of right is prior to that of the good.
The idea of public reason specifies, in a constitutional democratic regime, how the relationship between citizens and the state is to be understood.