John Rawls' "Philosophie der Gerechtigkeit"

Abstract

The paper critically addresses A Theory of Justice. It is first illustrated that Theory implies a paradigm shift at the time of its publication. This is followed by a critical analysis of central aspects of Theory, especially the reflexive equilibrium and the difference principle. The paper then reconstructs Rawlsian work. First by showing the continuities and discontinuities between Theory and Political Liberalism and by critically examining “overlapping consensus” and “public reason”. Subsequently, by examining A Law of Peoples and its idea of tolerance and the rejection of global distributive justice. Finally, the paper addresses Rawls's role as a public intellectual.