There is a divergence between private and social accounting that the market fails to register. One essential task of law and government is to institute the necessary conditions.
John RawlsCertainly it is wrong to be cruel to animals and the destruction of a whole species can be a great evil. The capacity for feelings of pleasure and pain and for the form of life of which animals are capable clearly impose duties of compassion and humanity in their case.
John RawlsMany of our most serious conflicts are conflicts within ourselves. Those who suppose their judgements are always consistent are unreflective or dogmatic.
John RawlsThe idea of public reason has to do with how questions should be decided, but it doesn't tell you what are the good reasons or correct decisions.
John RawlsA political conception covers the right to vote, the political virtues, and the good of political life, but it doesn't intend to cover anything else.
John RawlsThere are two kinds of comprehensive doctrines, religious and secular. Those of religious faith will say I give a veiled argument for secularism, and the latter will say I give a veiled argument for religion. I deny both. Each side presumes the basic ideas of constitutional democracy, so my suggestion is that we can make our political arguments in terms of public reason. Then we stand on common ground. That's how we can understand each other and cooperate.
John Rawls