Identify a philosopher and corresponding philosophical texts that apply to a situation or concern in the contemporary world. The philosopher about whom you write must have been covered by this course. Write a 500 – 800 word essay that applies this philosopher’s ideas to the contemporary world by (1) identifying the essential points of the philosopher’s work, including the historical context and its relation to dilemmas, decision making, and consequences; (2) describing how these philosophical ideas relate to contemporary life; (3) and explaining what the philosopher would say were an individual’s responsibilities as a citizen of a modern, diverse (intercultural) community. To be eligible for full credit, you must utilize outside sources, such as your textbook, to support your position. Review the Plagiarism 101 document in the Start Here Module and visit the TJC Writing Center if you have any questions about how to properly use quotes, cite your sources, or prepare a Works Cited page. As an undergraduate, quotes should not take up more than 10-15% of your paper. This means quotes should not be longer than 2-3 sentences per page.
Sample Answer
John Rawls
Description of the philosopher
The philosopher, John Rawls, was born in 1921 in Baltimore, Maryland. He was majorly an academic person committed to writing and abstract thinking. The primary focus of the philosopher was on writing the theory of justice that was published in 1971 (Rawls, 2). Through this approach, he established the social justice standards and principles that could be employed in real contemporary societies (Said 23). Rawls’ concept was known as the justice of fairness containing two principles; the one that concerns the political institutions and social and economic institutions. Rawl employed justice as fairness to explain justice for the liberal society (Rawls, 4). Being a member of a family of liberal political perceptions of justice, he argued that fairness is superior to the dominant methodologies like utilitarianism. The theory aims at arranging the social and political institutions in a basic structure. He was majorly interested in the primary institutions of society (Taylor, 8). He claimed that it is impossible to achieve social justice in society if the factors like the inequality of health, education, and economies are not operated relatively.
How the text relates to the context of the contemporary world
The first principle of the text can be applied in the contemporary world to advocate for equal rights and liberties in society. This principle encourages the need to ensure that citizens should be familiar with their fundamental rights and freedoms, including the freedom of speech, the individual’s right to vote, and the right to vote (Rawls, 2). This confirms the conviction regarding the necessity of equal fundamental rights in contemporary society. This means that this first principle would not allow for implementing the policies that would result in the unfair treatment of others (Taylor 9). In the contemporary world where some people are still involved in discriminatory activities, the principle of Rawls would be employed to ensure the fair value of political liberties (Rawls 5). The argument of Rawls in the second principle would be applied to ensure that people get appropriate treatment in contemporary workplaces (Said 30). It will ensure that citizens with the same talents, experiences, and educational backgrounds are given equal opportunities regardless of their economic location (Rawls 1). The second part of Rawl’s principle would ensure the equal distribution of natural endowments across children from different social classes. The principle also allows for the equality of wealth and income distribution. The inequalities of wealth and income would profoundly impact the lives of the citizens. The ideas of Rawls have influenced many lawmakers and judges in the United States’s Court decisions. Besides, Rawls’s ideas have been adopted by many organizations in the contemporary world to ensure fairness at work.
Analysis of the dilemmas the philosopher would see in the contemporary world.
One of the dilemmas that the philosopher would encounter in the contemporary world is the advocates of structural equality (Rawls 20). They would argue that the Difference Principle permits some inequality which is unacceptable even if the least disadvantaged. Rawls would respond to this by emphasizing the need to focus on his first principle. He would argue that the inequalities that result from the Difference Principle can be allowed as long as they do not qualify for unequal liberty (Rawls 21). The utilitarian would also object to the theory because it does not result in the maximization of utility. Rawls would use his application of Utalitarism and argue based on his thesis in preference of Utalitarism.
