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Single Idea 23110

[filed under theme 22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / e. Human nature ]

Full Idea

Men's propensity to injustice is not a permanent aspect of community life.

Gist of Idea

Human injustice is not a permanent feature of communities

Source

John Rawls (A Theory of Justice [1972], p.245), quoted by John Kekes - Against Liberalism

Book Ref

Kekes,John: 'Against Liberalism' [Cornell 1997], p.150

A Reaction

This attitude is dismissed by Kekes, with some justification, as naïve optimism. What could be Rawls's grounds for making such a claim? It couldn't be the facts of human history.

The 14 ideas from 'A Theory of Justice'

3280 Why does the rational agreement of the 'Original Position' in Rawls make it right? [Nagel on Rawls]
20552 The original position models the idea that citizens start as free and equal [Rawls, by Swift]
15676 Rawls defends the priority of right over good [Rawls, by Finlayson]
4123 A fair arrangement is one that parties can agree to without knowing how it will benefit them personally [Rawls, by Williams,B]
20538 Utilitarians lump persons together; Rawls somewhat separates them; Nozick wholly separates them [Swift on Rawls]
9277 Rawls's account of justice relies on conventional fairness, avoiding all moral controversy [Gray on Rawls]
21018 The social contract has problems with future generations, national boundaries, disabilities and animals [Rawls, by Nussbaum]
18636 Choose justice principles in ignorance of your own social situation [Rawls]
18631 All desirable social features should be equal, unless inequality favours the disadvantaged [Rawls]
21041 Justice concerns not natural distributions, or our born location, but what we do about them [Rawls]
20527 Liberty Principle: everyone has an equal right to liberties, if compatible with others' liberties [Rawls]
23110 Human injustice is not a permanent feature of communities [Rawls]
23583 If an aggression is unjust, the constraints on how it is fought are much stricter [Rawls]
3279 Utilitarianism inappropriately scales up the individual willingness to make sacrifices [Rawls, by Nagel]