Philosophy
John Rawls proposed a just and fair society. He measured justice by equal distribution of wealth as well as opportunities for all members of a society. The concept of social justice as proposed by Rawls puts emphasis on the need to break barriers in order to develop safety nets (Nagel 82). These views were supported by Sandel when he opined that the distribution of a society’s income, wealth, rights, power and honors determine how just it is (Sandel 15). In this regard, Rawls observed that societal norms influence ethics. A society can within its norms, determine what is right and good for its members as well as what is wrong and bad. Thus, ethical certainties are based on contingent social norms.
Convergence and conflict in Omi and John Rawls approaches
Omi identifies race as a central factor in the time of European exploration. People have been identified as black of white in the United States. Omi opines that race has become a significant part in the formulation of rules that guide the society (Omi 8). People become unsettled when a member of the other side of the color divide behaves or acts in a manner that is not consistent with their values and norms. Whereas Omi believes that certain racial myths are essential in maintaining U.S. order, Rawls differs by underscoring the centrality of equality among people of all races (Nagel 84). In a nutshell, Rawls believes that racial formations have the led to increased inequality and lack of order.
How Rawls and Nietzsche differ on human nature
Rawls believed in the freedom of human beings. He argued that this freedom can be expanded by granting people more rights. This argument is premised on the belief that free people have equal access to opportunities and wealth. On the other hand, Nietzsche observed that human freedom should be relative and not absolute (Nietzsche 5). He believed that the totality of human nature is recipe for anarchy.
Works Cited
Nagel, Thomas. "John Rawls and affirmative action." The Journal of Blacks in Higher
Education 39 (2003): 82-84.
Nietzsche, Friedrich. Thus Spake Zarathustra. Рипол Классик, 2001.
Omi, Michael, and Howard Winant. Racial formation in the United States. Routledge, 2014.
Print.
Sandel, Michael J. Justice: What's the right thing to do?. Macmillan, 2010.
