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.
Download file: Download
Number of downloads: 386
References:
- Forst R., Kontexte der Gerechtigkeit. Politische Philosophie jenseits von Liberalismus und Kommunitarismus, Frankfurt am Main 1994.
- Geiger R., Merle J.-Ch., Scarano N. (red.), Modelle politischer Philosophie, Padeborn 2003.
- Kruszewska B., Polaczuk P., Świto L. (red.), Sprawiedliwość. Wybrane koncepcje, Olsztyn 2010.
- Meyer L., John Rawls und die Kommunitaristen. Eine Einführung In Rawls’ Theorie der Gerechtigkeit und die kommunitaristische Kritik am Liberalismus, Würzburg 1996.
- 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.
- Rawls J., Teoria sprawiedliwości, Warszawa 2009.