Sakshi Education
By Srirangam Sriram, Sriram's IAS, New Delhi.
Moral philosophers have long since sought a basis for advocating strong ethical foundations to redesign the existing society so that there is equality, dignity and justice. The challenge is to redistribute wealth and power on the basis of human values like fairness and equality.
Post-war American philosopher John Rawls used the concept of the original position or "veil of ignorance" as a thought experiment to discover the principles that should structure a society of free, equal and moral people. Rawls claims that his Principles of Justice would be arrived at in this process.
In the original position, one is asked to consider which principles one would select for the basic structure of society, but one must select as if one had no knowledge about what position one would end up having in that society. This choice is made from behind a veil of ignorance, which prevents one from knowing one’s ethnicity, social status, gender etc. They exist as an impartial group, tasked with designing a new society with its own conception of justice. Ideally, this is meant to force participants to select principles impartially and rationally.
As a thought experiment, the Veil of Ignorance is powerful because our usual opinions regarding what is just and unjust are informed by our own experiences. We are shaped by our race, gender, class, education, appearance, sexuality, career, family, and so on. On the other side of the Veil of Ignorance, none of that exists. Technically, the resulting society should be a fair one.
In Rawls's theory the original position plays the same role that the "state of nature" does in the social contract tradition of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean- Jacques who did a thought experiment to make a case for state, government and civic obedience. Veil of Ignorance figures prominently in Rawl's 1971 book, A Theory of Justice.
Post-war American philosopher John Rawls used the concept of the original position or "veil of ignorance" as a thought experiment to discover the principles that should structure a society of free, equal and moral people. Rawls claims that his Principles of Justice would be arrived at in this process.
In the original position, one is asked to consider which principles one would select for the basic structure of society, but one must select as if one had no knowledge about what position one would end up having in that society. This choice is made from behind a veil of ignorance, which prevents one from knowing one’s ethnicity, social status, gender etc. They exist as an impartial group, tasked with designing a new society with its own conception of justice. Ideally, this is meant to force participants to select principles impartially and rationally.
As a thought experiment, the Veil of Ignorance is powerful because our usual opinions regarding what is just and unjust are informed by our own experiences. We are shaped by our race, gender, class, education, appearance, sexuality, career, family, and so on. On the other side of the Veil of Ignorance, none of that exists. Technically, the resulting society should be a fair one.
In Rawls's theory the original position plays the same role that the "state of nature" does in the social contract tradition of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean- Jacques who did a thought experiment to make a case for state, government and civic obedience. Veil of Ignorance figures prominently in Rawl's 1971 book, A Theory of Justice.Published date : 06 Jan 2021 01:38PM
