John Rawls: His Life and Theory of Justice

by Thomas Pogge, Michelle Kosch (Translator)

John Rawls was one of the most important political philosophers of our time, and promises to be an enduring figure over the coming decades. His Theory of Justice (1971) has had a profound impact across philosophy, politics, law, and economics. Nonetheless Rawlsian theory is not easy to understand, particularly for beginners, and his writing can be dense and forbidding. Thomas Pogge's short introduction (originally published in German) gives a thorough and concise presentation of the main outlines of Rawls's theory, introduces biographical information when necessary, and draws links between the Rawlsian enterprise and other important positions in moral and political philosophy.

Genres: Philosophy, Politics, Nonfiction, Biography

228 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2006

Reviews

[Paul Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book that I didn't have the prerequisites to read. It is a book about Rawls' works and the author isn't afraid to pass judgment upon Rawls' ideas. I had hoped that I would understand it more than I did but I can speak to a few parallel issues that are a bit to the point anyway.
My favorite part of the book was learning how he came about this theory: He began with a utilitarian philosophical foundation with which he disagreed and than worked his hardest to put it in its best light, and then attempted to improve upon it. This method, in and of itself, deserves more adherents than we have today.
All in all Rawls' theory of justice was too idealistic for me to get too wrapped up in. He begins by telling us that the theory applies to a community that probably never has and never will exist, i.e. a self-contained society. I understand the need to keep things simple so as not to over complicate a theory, but for me, this amounts to a thought experiment that I have a difficult time appreciating. Some thought experiments are too far afield from reality to be of any use except as an exercise in intellectual gymnastics whereas some are founded within reality, and can be extremely helpful. Some, like this one teeter upon a fulcrum which I can't quite focus. Having said all this, I'm sure I'll ponder upon these ideas for a long time. Challenging but worth the read.

[Vasile Rotaru · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book, an extremely clear brief explanation of the main points of Rawls's theory. Pogge tries his best to both challenge and defend his mentor, a mindset characteristic to contemporary academic philosophy.

The reader should be cautioned, therefore, that this little book is by no means written in an introductory style and might prove a little challenging for those who lack the requisite familiarity with this type of writing.

[Scott MacDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful look into a modern giant. Rawls like all the classical political theorists asked questions centered around justice and how to order society for the common good. He was post-modern in that he conceived that justice must be independent of any comprehensive moral or religious framework and centered on fairness. Pogge does a very good job of introducing us to Rawls the man and his theory of justice that has ongoing influence in egalitarian society today.