Tag: RawlsPapers

Rawls [7], “Distributive Justice,” (1967)

After a brief segue into the topic of legal obligation, Rawls is back to elaborating on his conception of justice as fairness.  In "Distributive Justice" he has three aims: 1) Explain why the just society should not be structured by utilitarian principles; 2) Clarify the Difference Principle--what, exactly, it means to require that inequalities work … Continue reading Rawls [7], “Distributive Justice,” (1967) →

Rawls [6], “Legal Obligation and the Duty of Fair Play,” (1964)

Suppose we are legal residents of Arizona, and a law has recently been passed which demands of all legal residents that they report suspected illegal immigrants to the local authorities.  (Never mind for the moment how such a law could possibly be enforced.)  Suppose furthermore that I think this law is unjust, and, additionally, I … Continue reading Rawls [6], “Legal Obligation and the Duty of Fair Play,” (1964) →

Rawls [5], “The Sense of Justice,” (1963)

In this essay Rawls addresses two questions, one raised specifically by his theory of justice and the other a general and much discussed meta-ethical question.  The specific question is, "To whom do the principles of justice apply?" or "To whom is justice owed?"  The general meta-ethical question is, "What motivates us to act morally--i.e., to … Continue reading Rawls [5], “The Sense of Justice,” (1963) →

Rawls [4], “Constitutional Liberty and the Concept of Justice” (1963)

When we last left Rawls, he was trying to identify the 'concept' of justice--that is, what it is we're attributing to a society when we call it 'just.'  Rawls claimed that a 'just' society conforms to the two principles of justice--viz., (i) each person has an equal right to liberty consistent with the same liberty … Continue reading Rawls [4], “Constitutional Liberty and the Concept of Justice” (1963) →

Rawls [3], “Justice as Fairness” (1958)

In this essay Rawls investigates 'justice' as a property of social institutions (practices).  What does it mean to describe an institution as just/unjust? He criticizes a utilitarian conception of justice, according to which an institution is just if it maximizes welfare, on the grounds that a social institution might maximize welfare at the expense of … Continue reading Rawls [3], “Justice as Fairness” (1958) →

Rawls [2], “Two Concepts of Rules,” (1955)

In this essay Rawls introduces a distinction between justifying a practice and justifying particular actions within a practice.  The distinction is important, for it shows how utilitarians might rebut the common criticism that they are committed to endorsing acts like punishing the innocent and breaking promises when doing so will maximize the good.  The main … Continue reading Rawls [2], “Two Concepts of Rules,” (1955) →

Rawls [1]: “Outline of a Decision Procedure in Ethics” (1951)

Most generally, this essay is about how to show that a given moral principle is 'objectively valid' and that actions in accordance with that principle are 'objectively right.'  The central claim, so far as I can tell, is that a moral principle is objectively valid if it explains, better than any alternative principle, the "considered … Continue reading Rawls [1]: “Outline of a Decision Procedure in Ethics” (1951) →