Original position
John Rawls’s contract theory
It imagines people choosing principles of justice without knowing their specific place in society.
Historical context
Rawls develops this device in A Theory of Justice. It revisits the social contract tradition as a way of representing an impartial choice of principles.
Overview
The parties know general facts about societies and lack information that would let them tailor rules to their own advantage. The choice of information determines which reasons can enter deliberation.
Main claims
An informational restriction can represent conditions for fair choice.
Debates and nuances
The veil of ignorance is an informational constraint in a device of representation.
This entry provides educational context.