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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the Veil of Ignorance in Rawls' argument?

2. How does the ignorant chooser know what is fair and what is not, according to Rawls?

3. Why is the argument called the Original Position?

4. What is the first virtue of social institution, according to Rawls?

5. What is the essential problem of Intuitionism?

Short Essay Questions

1. What theory does Rawls want to re-invigorate in his argument?

2. What does Rawls see as the problem of Intuition?

3. Why does Rawls prefer the Social Contract Theory?

4. What was the dominant political philosophy theory throughout the 20th Century?

5. What is Rawls’ criticism of Utilitarianism?

6. In what way is the Original Position a proponent of Intuition or Innate Ideas?

7. Why does Social Contract Theory work so well with a Theory of Rights?

8. What for the Intuitionist is learned?

9. Why does Rawls move away from Individualist ethics?

10. What is the problem of inclusion in the Social Contract Theory?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In his theory of Justice as Fairness, Rawls claims that some degree of economic inequality would be acceptable. Consider the claims of the recent 99% and Occupy movements and the Global Banking Crisis. Could Rawls still make this claim?

Essay Topic 2

Consider the political movements of the 20th and 21st Century (Gay Pride, Women's Liberation, Occupy, the Civil Rights Movement, etc.). How do these movements relate to Rawls’ theory of the Social Contract and the Original Position?

Essay Topic 3

What is the nature of rights in Rawl's position? When are they established and why?

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