Essay - Rawls Moral and Ethical Dilemmas Have Long Perplexed Political Theorists....

Rawls

***** and ethical dilemmas have long perplexed political theorists. Questions of justice and what can most truly represent it ***** been pondered since the beginning ***** pol*****ical thought; they continue to be debated because an answer has never ***** agreed upon. John Rawls saw the two main methods of defining justice as lacking; his political works explore an alternate route ***** creating the most just societal structures ***** processes. These methods are possibly ***** most applicable systems ***** justice that exist for evaluating our international system of rules and behavior today.

*****' primary contribution to a theory of ***** was his assertion that inequalities did not necessarily mean injustice; the Rawlsian idea of justice as fairness rather than equality was a novel one ***** yet has quickly become a significant point of comparison for ***** philosophers, whether they are agreeing with or attempting ***** disprove Rawls. Academics have noted the primacy of Rawls' ideas on justice to an understanding of other ***** of thought: "We will not be able ***** make sense of later work on justice if we do ***** understand Rawls." In addition to the necessity of ***** ***** in terms of understanding other *****, this essay will argue ***** the ***** notion of justice is a more vi***** one th*****n ***** competing theories.

***** is quick to note the differences in public reason and that of a nonpublic institution; although ***** associations do participate in reason, they do so in a manner which is only *****clusive of their members. Churches, universities, ***** associations of all types can all be vie*****d as organizations where membership is voluntary; the state is one of the only categories of membership where an individual is not afforded ***** opportunity to separate from the association. Since "the government's authority cannot be evaded except by leaving the territory over which it g*****ns, and not always then," a rational d*****course regarding the terms of such authority is necessary ***** the public.

***** discourse, while ***** necessary in a constitution*****l democracy, is not always based on ***** same values or circumstances. That is to say, the results of such public ***** may change or evolve as society *****es. This can been seen in society's participation in either ratifying or denying constitutional amendments, at a very high level; Rawls cites the three amendments related to slavery, women's suffrage, ***** the proposed Equal Rights Amendment. Currently Rawls would see ***** suggested amendment making marriage strictly a union between a woman and a man as an imp*****t*****t subject for public reason. All of these proposed amendments reflected the changing societal atmosphere surrounding ***** "***** reason."

***** argument for *****ian logic in the public sphere and political realm will be made in ***** major portions: first, ***** concept that in***** is not necessarily inherently bad ***** be establ*****hed. This will ***** done by examining situations in which inequalities may work toward the good of society *****out harming certain segments, as is a possibility in other theories, notably utilitarianism. Second,