John Rawls

Life of John Rawls

• John Rawls (1921-2002) was an American philosopher and political theorist who is widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. He is best known for his 1971 book, A Theory of Justice, which has become a classic of political philosophy. Rawls’s work has had a profound impact on the way we think about justice, equality, and the nature of society.

• Rawls was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in He attended the prestigious Baltimore City College high school, where he excelled academically and was elected president of the student body. He went on to study at Princeton University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1943. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Rawls returned to Princeton to pursue a doctorate in philosophy. He completed his dissertation in 1950 and began teaching at Cornell University.

• In 1955, Rawls accepted a position at Harvard University, where he would remain for the rest of his career. During this time, he wrote several influential books, including A Theory of Justice (1971), Political Liberalism (1993), and The Law of Peoples (1999). He also wrote numerous articles and essays on topics such as justice, democracy, and international relations.

• Rawls’s work was highly influential in the field of political philosophy. His theory of justice, which he outlined in A Theory of Justice, argued that society should be organized in such a way that it maximizes the welfare of the least advantaged members of society. This idea, known as the “difference principle,” has become a cornerstone of modern liberal thought.

• Rawls also developed a theory of political liberalism, which argued that citizens should be able to disagree about fundamental moral and political issues without compromising their commitment to a just society. This idea has been highly influential in debates about the role of religion in public life.

• Rawls was awarded numerous honors during his lifetime, including the National Humanities Medal in 1999 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in He died in 2002 at the age of 81.

• Rawls’s legacy lives on in the form of his writings, which continue to be widely read and discussed. His ideas have had a profound impact on the way we think about justice, equality, and the nature of society. He is widely regarded as one of the most important political philosophers of the 20th century.

Teachings of John Rawls

• Justice as Fairness: Rawls argued that justice is best understood as a form of fairness. He proposed that the principles of justice should be chosen behind a “veil of ignorance”, which would prevent people from knowing their own place in society and thus prevent them from making decisions that would be biased in their favor.

• The Difference Principle: Rawls argued that social and economic inequalities should be arranged so that they are to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged members of society.

• The Priority of Liberty: Rawls argued that basic liberties should take priority over other considerations when it comes to the design of a just society.

• The Social Contract: Rawls argued that the principles of justice should be chosen by rational individuals in a hypothetical “original position”, where they are unaware of their own particular interests and social positions.

• The Priority of Right over Good: Rawls argued that the right thing to do should take precedence over the good thing to do.

• The Priority of Justice over Efficiency: Rawls argued that justice should take precedence over efficiency when it comes to the design of a just society.

• The Priority of Fair Equality of Opportunity: Rawls argued that individuals should have an equal opportunity to develop their talents and abilities, regardless of their social class or background.

• The Priority of the Common Good: Rawls argued that the common good should take precedence over the interests of any particular individual or group.

• The Priority of the Public Interest: Rawls argued that the public interest should take precedence over the interests of any particular individual or group.

• The Priority of the Right over the Good: Rawls argued that the right thing to do should take precedence over the good thing to do.

• The Priority of the Right over the Useful: Rawls argued that the right thing to do should take precedence over the useful thing to do.

• The Priority of the Right over the Desirable: Rawls argued that the right thing to do should take precedence over the desirable thing to do.

• The Priority of the Right over the Pleasurable: Rawls argued that the right thing to do should take precedence over the pleasurable thing to do.

• The Priority of the Right over the Advantageous: Rawls argued that the right thing to do should take precedence over the advantageous thing to do.

• The Priority of the Right over the Prudent: Rawls argued that the right thing to do should take precedence over the prudent thing to do.

• The Priority of the Right over the Popular: Rawls argued that the right thing to do should take precedence over the popular thing to do.

• The Priority of the Right over the Convenient: Rawls argued that the right thing to do should take precedence over the convenient thing to do.

• The Priority of the Right over the Profitable: Rawls argued that the right thing to do should take precedence over the profitable thing to do.

• The Priority of the Right over the Self-Interested: Rawls argued that the right thing to do should take precedence over the self-interested thing to do.

• The Priority of the Right over the Self-Serving: Rawls argued that the right thing to do should take precedence over the self-serving thing to do.