Study Of The Concept Of Rawls' Political Philosophy Of Rationality (reasonableness)

That how it is possible for there to exist over time a just democratic society is the problem Rawls tried to work out all his life. In some specific terms, he tried to explore the practical possibility of a just well-ordered society in the face of reasonable pluralism in democratic society. Social unity is based on an agreement of truth in traditional society, but this kind of unity is unavailable owing to the fact of pluralism in a democratic society. Rawlsian reasonableness is an alternative as the criterion for deciding issues concerning constitutional essentials and questions of basic justice. This kind of reasonableness needs to be understood by the practical reason in union with conceptions of society as a fair system of cooperation and persons as free and equal citizens. Rawlsian reasonableness works as a criterion of political justification in the domain of political. It also works through the political virtues. Besides, Rawlsian reasonableness is a substantial conception. Its normative content is derived from the fundamental idea of society as a fair system of cooperation and the idea of persons as free and equal citizens. Accordingly, it presents two dispositions of free and equal citizens. The first basic aspect of the reasonable is the willingness to promote fair terms of cooperation and to abide by them provided others do. The second basic aspect of the reasonable is the willingness to recognize the burdens of judgment and to accept the consequences. Rawlsian reasonableness is a conception pointing to practice, namely the fact of pluralism in a democratic society. For using this kind of reasonableness, a political conception of justice can secure an overlapping consensus among reasonable comprehensive doctrines. Subsequently, the democratic society regulated by this political conception of justice secure a kind of stability for right reasons. In virtue of Rawlsian reasonableness, Rawls completed his argument for the practical possibility of a just well-ordered society. Considering the aim of Rawls' political philosophy, this kind of reasonableness is helpful to realize political philosophy's public role and educational role as part of the public culture in a democratic society. It is also helpful for political philosophy to promote the realization of its practical role, orientation role and reconciliation role as part of the public political culture in a democratic society. Finally, we can secure the essentials of Rawls' political philosophy correctively to advance the comprehensive understanding of Rawls' political philosophy further.