JUSTICE AS FAIRNESS: JOHN RAWLS
John Rawls’ theory of justice doesn’t depend on intuition to determine what is right. The modern American philosopher assumes that, given a fair procedure for reaching a decision, rational people would agree to give each other equal amounts of liberty-as much freedom as possible. But differences in status, power, wealth, and intelligence give some privileged members of society unequal clout when the moral ground rules of society are hammered out. As both Stuart Hall and Cheris Kramarae suggested, the "oughts" of life get crafted to serve the vested interests of those who represent the dominant ideology (see Chapters 30 and 37).
In order to discover ethical rules that would promote freedom for everybody, Rawls creates the fiction of an ethical discussion held before we enter the world. Everyone would be required to agree on binding rules of behavior before they had any idea of which place in society they would occupy. It’s his way of defining an ethical system that won’t leave anyone out. Rules could not be tailor-made to serve selfish ends because it’s hard to be self-serving when you don’t know which "self" you’ll be.
"I assume that all parties are situated behind a veil of ignorance," Rawls begins, and then goes on to describe people’s fear that they might be poor, powerless, or oppressed. Freedom without real opportunity would be meaningless. Behind the veil of ignorance, rational people would craft rules of justice that would protect themselves in case fate were to put them at the bottom of the societal heap. The disadvantaged need justice. Those on top can take care of themselves.
Rawls’ theory of justice protects people who are in a "one-down" position (see Rogers and Farace, who are discussed in Chapter 15). He would assume that Stacy has an ethical obligation to use her gifts to help raise the reading level of kids in the underclass. She is wrong to dismiss the request, and lying about her reasons merely compounds the injustice. Since the force of a lie is more easily sustained by those who have power, ethical rules developed behind the veil of ignorance would maintain equality by condemning deceit.
Perhaps Rawls is asking us to do the impossible. Despite a willingness to pretend being born among the downtrodden, our ethical sensitivities may be tainted by being brought up in a class of privilege, in a country of power. Even in our imagination, it’s hard to go behind the veil. But Rawls’ idea of the greatest benefit for the least advantaged seems to offer the strong points of utilitarianism without sharing the drawbacks. Rules devised behind a true veil of ignorance would be scrupulously fair.
JUSTICE AS FAIRNESS: JOHN RAWLS
John Rawls’ theory of justice doesn’t depend on intuition to determine what is right. The modern American philosopher assumes that, given a fair procedure for reaching a decision, rational people would agree to give each other equal amounts of liberty-as much freedom as possible. But differences in status, power, wealth, and intelligence give some privileged members of society unequal clout when the moral ground rules of society are hammered out. As both Stuart Hall and Cheris Kramarae suggested, the "oughts" of life get crafted to serve the vested interests of those who represent the dominant ideology (see Chapters 30 and 37).
In order to discover ethical rules that would promote freedom for everybody, Rawls creates the fiction of an ethical discussion held before we enter the world. Everyone would be required to agree on binding rules of behavior before they had any idea of which place in society they would occupy. It’s his way of defining an ethical system that won’t leave anyone out. Rules could not be tailor-made to serve selfish ends because it’s hard to be self-serving when you don’t know which "self" you’ll be.
"I assume that all parties are situated behind a veil of ignorance," Rawls begins, and then goes on to describe people’s fear that they might be poor, powerless, or oppressed. Freedom without real opportunity would be meaningless. Behind the veil of ignorance, rational people would craft rules of justice that would protect themselves in case fate were to put them at the bottom of the societal heap. The disadvantaged need justice. Those on top can take care of themselves.
Rawls’ theory of justice protects people who are in a "one-down" position (see Rogers and Farace, who are discussed in Chapter 15). He would assume that Stacy has an ethical obligation to use her gifts to help raise the reading level of kids in the underclass. She is wrong to dismiss the request, and lying about her reasons merely compounds the injustice. Since the force of a lie is more easily sustained by those who have power, ethical rules developed behind the veil of ignorance would maintain equality by condemning deceit.
Perhaps Rawls is asking us to do the impossible. Despite a willingness to pretend being born among the downtrodden, our ethical sensitivities may be tainted by being brought up in a class of privilege, in a country of power. Even in our imagination, it’s hard to go behind the veil. But Rawls’ idea of the greatest benefit for the least advantaged seems to offer the strong points of utilitarianism without sharing the drawbacks. Rules devised behind a true veil of ignorance would be scrupulously fair.
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