Justice As Fairness Essay

a viable alternative to existing philosophical doctrines and the intended concept will be based on a theoretically enhanced version of the social contract. Since Rawls states a theory, it is a generalization that can be put into any situation or circumstance. Rawls’ book ‘A Theory of Justice’ constitutes of a set of ideas used to define what justice truly is; Justice as fairness is the principle of a theory of justice according to Rawls.

JUSTICE AS FAIRNESS:

Rawls doesn’t give a dictionary definition of the principle ‘justice as fairness’ as the concept deals with loaded terms and is all in the abstract. Rawls forms the idea of justice as fairness by addressing all the possible components in the concept right from who the theory primarily addresses

The main principle for the theory of justice, justice as fairness, is determined by a silent spectator. Rawls’ approach is individualistic and the concept of justice as fairness may not be feasible to a certain extent in a society with a collective manner of thinking. A further criticism of the theory is Rawls’ acceptance of class division as he feels the need for creating a ‘difference principle’. No background is given as to why there is a state of class division and this goes against his inclusion of equality alongside liberty as principles of

He firmly bases his justice as fairness concept with the aid of methodological concepts. Rawls’ theory of justice is supported through the construction of an elaborate base of his account of a form of social contract, the ‘veil of ignorance’, and then basing the justice as fairness principle on it. Rawls’ conjecture isn’t water tight, it does raise some question, but it takes into account the moral issues ignored by classical utilitarianism. Justice as fairness also tackles intuitionism as the logic behind the concept of justice as fairness is sound compared to the possibly irrational rationale behind