A Theory of Justice by John Rawls
From Internet: Knowledge and Community
Stephanie Kallwass
Key Term: Veil of Ignorance
The “veil of ignorance” is, in my opinion, the most important aspect of justice. Justice is a rational concept. It is because people often find it difficult to think in a purely rational way that justice can become an argument about moral. The thought of no one being “advantaged or disadvantaged in the choice of principles by the outcome of natural chance or the contingency of social circumstances” sounds like an ideal way to carry out justice, however it is not realistic to expect humans to be able to carry out deliberations so disconnected from their own personal values.
An internet community might find it easier to adhere to these principals. The veil of ignorance is more literally present as usernames. “No one knows his place in society, his class position or social status, nor does anyone his fortune in the distribution of natural assets and abilities, his intelligence, strength, and the like.” The lack of identity or the mistrust of another’s identity, which is caused by dealing only with screen-names, would be an asset because it creates a sort of equality in the community. No one knows where they stand in real life compared to everyone else.
