Rawls’ theory of justice and the question of position of the people with disabilities

Abstract

The aim of this paper will be to investigate Rawls? theory of justice concerning the position of the disabled people. First of all, I will expose his two principles of justice. Secondly, I will expose criticism of Eva Kittay and Martha Nussbaum, who claim that our acceptance of Rawlsian theory prevents us from achieving the just position of the people with disabilities. After that I will examine one of the most successful upgrades of Rawls? original theory that was established by Harry Brighouse. However, Brighouse?s upgrade improves the position of only those individuals who had become disabled due to natural reasons and not due to their own mistakes. This is why I will, finally, tend to point out that the exclusion of those individuals whose disability is a consequence of their own mistake is not justified, since it incorporates a deontological assumption that is not necessary for Rawls? theory of justice.