John Rawls (Volume 10) (Philosophy Now)

John Rawls (1921-2002) is one of the most influential thinkers of the twentieth century. Contemporary political philosophy has been reshaped by his seminal ideas and most current work in the discipline is a response to them. This book introduces his central ideas and examines their contribution to contemporary political thought. In the first part of the book Catherine Audard focuses on Rawls' conception of political and social justice and its justification as presented in his groundbreaking A Theory of Justice. This includes sustained examination of Rawls' moral philosophy and its core thesis, the primacy of justice, the complex relation between Rawls' views and utilitarianism, and his most famous concept, the Original Position Device. In the second half of the book, Audard explores Rawls' more practical concerns for stability and political consensus, citizenship and international justice, and shows the continuity between these concerns and his earlier work. Throughout, Audard contextualizes Rawls' ideas by giving a sense of their historical development, which underlines the intellectual cohesion of his thought. The move between ethics and politics so characteristic of Rawls' work, and which makes for the richness of his philosophy, is shown to also create for it significant problems. John Rawls combines clear exposition with insightful analysis and provides an interpretative and critical framework that will help shape ongoing debates surrounding Rawls' work. John Rawls (1921-2002) is one of the most influential thinkers of the twentieth century. Contemporary political philosophy has been reshaped by his seminal ideas and most current work in the discipline is a response to them. Catherine Audard introduces his central ideas and examines their contribution to contemporary political thought.

Audard begins with an exploration of Rawls' conception of political and social justice and its justification as presented in his groundbreaking A Theory of Justice. She provides a sustained examination of Rawls' moral philosophy, the complex relation between Rawls' views and utilitarianism, and his most famous concept, the Original Position Device. She concludes with an analysis of Rawls' more practical concerns for stability and political consensus, citizenship and international justice, showing the continuity between these concerns and his earlier work. John Rawls places the philosopher's ideas within an historical context and provides an interpretative and critical framework that will help shape ongoing debates surrounding Rawls' work.

About the Author:
Catherine Audard is a visiting fellow, philosophy, the London School of Economics

"Audard begins with an exploration of Rawls' conception of political and social justice and its justification as presented in his groundbreaking A theory of justice. She provides a sustained examination of Rawls' moral philosophy, the complex relations between Rawls' views and utilitarianism, and his most famous concept, the Original Position Device. She concludes with an analysis of Rawls' more practical concerns for stability and political consensus, citizenship and international justice, showing the continuity between these concerns and his earlier work. [This book] places the philosopher's ideas within an historical context and provides an interpretative and critical framework that will help shape ongoing debates surrounding Rawls' work"--Provided by publisher Cover......Page 1 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Abbreviations......Page 9 Introduction......Page 10 1. The primacy of justice......Page 34 2. Constructing the principles of justice......Page 88 3. Defending democratic equality: the argument from the Original Position......Page 132 4. Pluralism and political consensus: the argument for political liberalism......Page 184 5. A reasonable law of peoples for a real world......Page 238 Conclusion: beyond liberalism......Page 284 Notes......Page 302 Bibliography......Page 322 Index......Page 329 This introduction to the work of John Rawls, one of the most influential political philosophers of the 20th century, provides an authoritative exposition of his central ideas and their contribution to contemporary political thought