Why people recommend it
A Theory of Justice by John Rawls is a monumental work of political philosophy that revitalized liberal egalitarian thought by introducing concepts such as the original position, the veil of ignorance, and the difference principle as foundations for a just society. On The Megyn Kelly Show in September 2022 during an episode featuring Sharyl Attkisson and Vivek Ramaswamy, Ramaswamy mentioned Rawls's famous book as a direct conceptual point of comparison for a theory discussed in his own writing, noting that Rawlsian philosophy served as the ideological north star for the American liberal movement throughout the latter half of the twentieth century. Additionally, on The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast in February 2022 during an episode featuring Julie Ponesse, Dr. Peterson referenced John Rawls when analyzing the distribution of unearned advantages and disadvantages in life, specifically invoking Rawls's terminology of the natural lottery to discuss the complex moral questions surrounding inherited privilege, luck, and individual responsibility. Across these podcasts, Rawls's foundational text remained a vital theoretical benchmark for debating fairness, distributive justice, and the role of the state in mitigating inequality.
Who recommended it
- Alex Bores Recommended
- Jordan B. Peterson Discussed
Alex Bores — 1 mention
“So the first is my favorite book of all time, and I know you have thoughts on this book, but it's "A Theory of Justice" by John Rawls.”
Jordan B. Peterson — 1 mention
“And some of that is an unfair burden—the natural lottery, as John Rawls calls it.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“a title of the book is entitled a theory of duty It's a play on john rawls's famous theory of justice that was a north star for much of the liberal movement for much of the latter 20th century”