A Critical Discussion of the Theory of Justice by John Rawls

ASSIGNMENT Department: Program: Course: Course Code: Assignment Number: Assignment Title: Lecturer: Date: Student: Registration Number: Mode of Study: Philosophy Bachelor of Accounting and Finance Business Ethics and Corporate Governance BAC 223 (One) An essay on the Theory of justice by John Rawls Mr. F D Bisika 7th March 2013 Steve Tseka – third year A-BAF/2013/1/45 Distance learning Page 1 of 5 Critical discussion on the central features of John Rawls’ Theory of Justice John Rawls is an American philosopher who was born in 1921 and died in the year 2002. In His books, Theory of Justice and Justice and fairness published in 1971 and 1958 respectively, Rawls is noted for being a social contract theorist in that he believes that our†¦show more content†¦So that one does not benefit more by chance from or inheritance, it is reasonable to assume that a child must be separated from their parents, and all are to be given the same education to ensure that no one child benefits unequally in relation to another. In order to ensure that all starting points are equal, we must then ensure that all children have the same education and the same social life, as both are the result of chance and have a direct influence on how successful they are. Otherwise, it would merely be the result of a chance purely based on who one’s parents were. In this argument, however, Milton Friedman sees an illogical distinction between what he sees as â€Å"personal e ndowments† and those of property. In his book Capitalism and Freedom, Friedman argues that such a distinction is untenable, and offers three distinct examples to prove his point. In the first two (the sons of Russian commissars who inherit money, or the American millionaire who sets up a trust, or provides for the education of his child) these advantages are seen as the result of property, where another individual â€Å"inherits† (to put it loosely) a naturally good voice. If this example is unacceptable, one can substitute with many thingsShow MoreRelatedJohn Rawls s Theory Of Justice1471 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Rawls â€Å"A Theory of Justice.† John Rawls was an American political and moral philosopher. Rawls attempts to determine the principles of social justice. In this essay, I will elucidate John Rawls’ views on forming a social contract, the counter-arguments against Rawls’ theory and finally the state of debate on the counter-arguments. 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