R.L. Holmes
CONTRACTARIANISM

1. The idea behind contractarianism is simple: If an appropriately defined body of persons, under appropriately defined conditions, would freely choose a set of principles to live by, those principles are justified. This approach places moral justification squarely in the human realm rather than in that of religion or eternal truths.

2. The most influential exposition of such a theory is John Rawls, in his Theory of Justice. There Rawls hypothesizes a group of rational, self-interested persons operating in what he calls an Original Position. They are to choose principles to govern them in a "well-ordered society." Such a society will be:

1. designed to advance the good of its members;
2. regulated by a public conception of justice that the basic institutions of society satisfy and are known to satisfy;
3. characterized by acceptance by everyone of the same principles of justice;
4. stable.

3. To minimize bias in the choice of principles, Rawls stipulates that these persons make their choice under a "veil of ignorance." Among other things, they will not know their:

1. place in society;
2. class or social status'
3. natural assets, such as intelligence and strength;
4. personal conception of the good;
5. personal psychology (e.g., regarding aversion to risk);
6. generation in which they live within the society.

In these circumstances, Rawls believes people would choose according to a maximin rule: rank alternatives in order of preference according to the superiority of their worst outcomes. Accordingly, they would choose two principles:

1. Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty compatible with a similar liberty for others.
2. Social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both 9a0 reasonably expected to be to everyone's advantage, and (b0 attached to positions and offices open to all.

4. Under these conditions, the choice of principles will exemplify Pure Procedural Justice stating that if a procedure is perfectly fair, then the outcome of the procedure (e.g., a distribution of benefits) is fair.

Readings: John Rawls, Theory of Justice, 2nd ed. (Harvard).