The Social Contract Account Of Justice By John Rawls

Rawls Paper The original position is a major theme in the social contract account of justice by John Rawls. By design, it should be a fair point of view for any person desiring to be impartial in their reasoning, regarding the basic principles of justice (Anderson et al. 2014). When a person adopts this point of view, they imagine themselves in a position of equal persons who are committed to the principles of political and social justice. One of its distinguishing features is the veil of ignorance. In this paper, the case of a defendant found guilty of second-degree murder is presented. A stakeholder’s position is first given on the matter. It is followed by the revised position under the veil of ignorance. It also contains a discussion of the ways in which stances have changed from the assigned identity’s perspective to the Rawl’s veil of significance perspective. Introduction to the concepts The original position is a situation that occurs hypothetically. The parties in the original position select the principles that determine the structure of their society. The parties make the choice behind a veil of ignorance that is meant to deprive them of any information concerning their characteristics. The kind of information eliminated include their gender, ethnicity, social status, and the concept of the good. It means the participants must select the principles rationally and impartially. In the social contract theory, there is a contract definingShow MoreRelatedThe Philosophy Of Social Justice1507 Words   |  7 Pages fairness, and equal distribution are concepts that are embedded in social justice. Individuals living in harmony for mutual benefit living in a state of society are set out by social contract. This paper will firstly show, the background of the philosophy of social justice. Then it will focus on John Rawls Theory of Justice. 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