John Rawls

Mgr Wojciech Ciszewski

Jagiellonian University

English abstract: The paper considers a fundamental issue set against the backcloth of John Rawls’s theory of justice, namely the structure of its justification system. The issue is so significant, because justification fulfills a key role in the Rawlsian conception. J. Rawls offers a sophisticated system consisting of different arguments aimed at reaching full justification. In the author’s opinion, there are five elements that relate to each other: 1) original position with the idea of the veil of ignorance, 2) reflective equilibrium, 3) public reason, 4) overlapping consensus, and 5) fundamental constructivist ideas. The five above mentioned arguments seem to be based on four different argumentative strategies: 1) a coherentist strategy – referring to the general and internal coherence of the system; 2) a contractualist strategy – based on the notion of social contract; 3) a pragmatic strategy – referring to the connection with effective social practices; and 4) a constructivist strategy which is founded in the particular view of reasonableness. The justification system evolves from A Theory of Justice to Political Liberalism. However, though the system develops, it is always aimed at the same goal – to gather our considered beliefs and facts about a modern society into a coherent set of judgments which may claim to be valid.

Keywords: John Rawls, justice as fairness, veil of ignorance, original position

Language: Polish

Published: Number 1(6)/2013, pp. 34-53.

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Dr Paweł Polaczuk

University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn

English abstract: This paper addresses the issue of whether the justification concerning the principles of justice adopted by Rawls allows for modifying morally significant differentiations found in the basic social structure. The idea of basic social structure as understood by Rawls is explained, and the requirements for justification assumed by Rawls are characterized. Theses requirements are determined by intuitive beliefs concerning justice; whereas such beliefs stipulate certain factors as being morally significant. The analysis of Rawls’s argument indicates that his justification with respect to the principles of justice is based on the criterion of benefit. This leads to privileging these conditions which according to the intuitive beliefs concerning justice should not be privileged. The original position of social groups, however, is not included within the framework of the justification mechanism, and so it requires revaluation for the same reasons as the previously mentioned issue.

Keywords: John Rawls, theory of justice, basic social structure, requirements for justification (keywords supplied by the editors)

Language: Polish

Published: Number 1(2)/2011, pp. 46-54.

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Number of downloads: 68

References:

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Kruszewska B., Polaczuk P., Świto L. (red.), Sprawiedliwość. Wybrane koncepcje, Olsztyn 2010.

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Pogge T., Hypothetische Gesellschaftsveträge: Drei Schwierigkeiten, w: R. Geiger, J.-Ch. Merle, N. Scarano (red.), Modelle politischer Philosophie, Padeborn 2003.

Polaczuk P., O podstawowych problemach z umownym uzasadnianiem zasad sprawiedliwości w Teorii sprawiedliwości Johna Rawlsa, w: B. Kruszewska, P. Polaczuk, L. Świto (red.), Sprawiedliwość. Wybrane koncepcje, Olsztyn 2010.

Polaczuk P., Sytuacja początkowa, w: B. Kruszewska, P. Polaczuk, L. Świto (red.), Sprawiedliwość. Wybrane koncepcje, Olsztyn 2010.

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Archiwum
Filozofii Prawa
i Filozofii Społecznej

The justification system of John Rawls’s theory of justice

Mgr Wojciech Ciszewski

Jagiellonian University