CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

PHI 309 FALL 2003

PROF. STEPHEN SCHOLZ

PAPER TOPICS

FOR STUDENTS WITH NO APPROVED PAPER TOPIC
Or those wishing to abandon their approved topics.

You will write on one of the following Topics:

1. Rawls claims that the serial ordering of the two principles of justice is an important part of the Theory of Justice. Why is this so? What might a society look like if the order were different? Why would someone in the Original Position reject such a society?
   
   
2. Rawls claims that "the basis of self respect" is a primary good, possibly the most important one. How can society distribute self respect? How can something like the difference principle be applied to self respect? Why does he think a society based on the two principles would, in general, raise people's expectations of self respect?

If you do not understand the topics, please e-mail me with your best guess paraphrase of my topic that you do understand, if you can't manage that please schedule a time to meet with me.

Prof. Scholz