John Rawls and the Theory of Justice

In this podcast episode, Brandon Avet is joined by Paul Wythem from Notre Dame University to discuss the political philosopher John Rawls. Rawls' theory of justice, known as justice as fairness, is based on a thought experiment similar to a baseball game. Rawls suggests that fair rules for the game can be determined by asking players to imagine that they don't know their own talents or abilities. This principle applies to the broader concept of justice in society, where fair rules can be established by people who disregard their own advantages and make decisions from a position of ignorance about their age, sex, abilities, or socioeconomic status. Rawls argues for two principles of justice: the equal basic liberties for all and the arrangement of social and economic inequalities to benefit the least advantaged. He rejects utilitarianism and emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the basic liberties and ensuring equal opportunities and benefits for the most vulnerable members of society. While Rawls' theory focuses on domestic distributive justice, he acknowledges that international justice and the treatment of animals are important concerns, but these topics are not the central focus of his theory.