Reading Rawls: Critical Studies on Rawls’ ‘A Theory of Justice’First published in 1975, this collection includes many of the best critical responses to John Rawls' A Theory of Justice, and the editor has elected to reissue the book without making any substitutions. As he argues in his new preface, the variety of issues raise in the original papers has been a major part of the book's appeal. He also acknowledges that no modest revision of this book could pretend to respond adequately to the considerable elaboration and evolution of Rawls' theory in the last fifteen years. Political philosophy has been one of the most exciting areas of philosophical activity in the years since A Theory of Justice, and much of that activity has been a response to Rawls' work. In his preface, the editor suggests how some of the insights and criticisms contained in the collection have had a bearing on developments in Rawls' theory and in political philosophy more generally, and that fresh reading of each of them reveals additional important points that have not yet received adequate attention. The contributors are: Benjamin Barber, Norman Daniels, Gerald Dworkin, Ronald Dworkin, Joel Feinberg, Milton Fisk, R.M. Hare, H.L.A. Hart, David Lyons, Frank Michelman, Richard Miller, Thomas Nagel, T.M. Scanlon, and A.K. Sen. |
Contents
Acknowledgments | ix |
Introduction | xxxi |
The Original Position | 1 |
Justifying Justice Problems | 13 |
Questions of Method | 81 |
and Coherence Arguments | 141 |
The Principles of Justice | 169 |
Rawls on Liberty and its Priority | 230 |
Equal Liberty and Unequal Worth | 253 |
Views from the Social Sciences | 283 |
Constitutional Welfare Rights | 319 |
| 348 | |
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Common terms and phrases
accept advantaged appeal argue assumption basic liberties basis choice choose ciples citizenship liberties claim coherence argument commitment conception of justice conflict considered constraints contract argument contract theory cooperation defined difference principle discussion distribution economic egalitarian example fact favor freedom fundamental goal human nature ideal ideal observer theory important income individual inequalities institutions interests intuitionism intuitions John Rawls judgments justice as fairness justified laws least liberal liberty of conscience Marxist maximin maximize ment natural duties needs notion original position particular parties person philosophical political POPS possible primary social principles of justice priority rule problem procedural justice question rational Rawls says Rawlsian reason reflective equilibrium relevant requires restrictions Ronald Dworkin Second Principle seems self-interest self-respect sense of justice simply social contract society special conception suggests suppose Theory of Justice tion utilitarianism utility veil of ignorance wealth welfare worst-off worth of liberty