In WHY POLITICAL LIBERALISM?, Paul Weithman offers a fresh, rigorous, and compelling interpretation of John Rawls's reasons for taking his so-called "political turn". Weithman takes Rawls at his word that justice as fairness was recast as a form of political liberalism because of an inconsistency Rawls found in his early treatment of social stability. He argues that the inconsistency is best seen by identifying the threats to stability with which the early Rawls was concerned. One of those threats, often overlooked by Rawls's readers, is the threat that the justice of a well-ordered society would be undermined by a generalized prisoner's dilemma. Showing how the Rawls of "A Theory of Justice" tried to avert that threat shows that the much-neglected third part of that book is of considerably greater philosophical interest, and has considerably more unity of focus, than is generally appreciated. Weithman painstakingly reconstructs Rawls's attempts to show that a just society would be stable, and just as carefully shows why Rawls came to think those arguments were inconsistent with other parts of his theory. Weithman then shows that the changes Rawls introduced into his view between "Theory of Justice" and "Political Liberalism" result from his attempt to remove the inconsistency and show that the hazard of the generalized prisoner's dilemma can be averted after all. Recovering Rawls's two treatments of stability helps to answer contested questions about the role of the original position and the foundations of justice as fairness. The result is a powerful and unified reading of Rawls's work that explains his political turn and shows his enduring engagement with some of the deepest concerns of human life. "Weithman has written a masterful work of Rawls scholarship. This book will deepen our understanding of how and why Rawls restructured his theory, and illuminate this fascinating transition in the history of political philosophy." Leif Wenar, Chair of Ethics, Kings College London "Weithman's reconstruction of Rawls's arguments is masterful, convincing and in many ways revelatory. Readers will find that the text provides compelling answers to a lot of puzzling questions about Rawls's project that have lingered for some time. Perhaps most importantly, Weithman gives the best explanation to date of exactly why Rawls felt compelled to revise his theory as he did." Colin Bird, Department of Politics, University of Virginia

For over twenty years, Paul Weithman has explored the thought of John Rawls to ask how liberalism can secure the principled allegiance of those people whom Rawls called 'citizens of faith'. This volume brings together ten of his major essays (including one new unpublished essay), which reflect on the task and political character of political philosophy, the ways in which liberalism does and does not privatize religion, the role of liberal legitimacy in Rawls's theory, and the requirements of public reason. The essays reveal Rawls as a thinker deeply engaged with political and existential questions that trouble citizens of faith, and explore how - in firm opposition to political realism - he tries to show that the possibility of liberal democracy and the natural goodness of humanity are objects of reasonable faith. The volume will be of interest to political philosophers, political theorists, moral theologians, and religious ethicists.

John Rawls is the preeminent political philosopher of our time. His 1971 masterpiece, A Theory of Justice, permanently changed the landscape of moral political theory, revitalizing the normative study of social issues and taking stands about justice, ethics, rationality and philosophical method that continue to draw followers and critics today.

In these five volumes, Henry S. Richardson and Paul Weithman draw together almost 90 of the most incisive and influential articles in that body of literature. The reprinted articles, many of them drawn from difficult-to-find sources, cover the gamut of controversies and conversations sparked by Rawls's work and represent a wide range of philosophical points of view. The selection also includes articles that reflect Rawls's reception in economics, law, and the social science more broadly.

The publication of these five volumes will be welcomed by students and scholars of contemporary political philosophy, and by anyone interested in the most probing reactions to the premier political philosopher of our time.

John Rawls is the preeminent political philosopher of our time. His 1971 masterpiece, A Theory of Justice, permanently changed the landscape of moral political theory, revitalizing the normative study of social issues and taking stands about justice, ethics, rationality and philosophical method that continue to draw followers and critics today.

In these five volumes, Henry S. Richardson and Paul Weithman draw together almost 90 of the most incisive and influential articles in that body of literature. The reprinted articles, many of them drawn from difficult-to-find sources, cover the gamut of controversies and conversations sparked by Rawls's work and represent a wide range of philosophical points of view. The selection also includes articles that reflect Rawls's reception in economics, law, and the social science more broadly.

The publication of these five volumes will be welcomed by students and scholars of contemporary political philosophy, and by anyone interested in the most probing reactions to the premier political philosopher of our time.

John Rawls is the preeminent political philosopher of our time. His 1971 masterpiece, A Theory of Justice, permanently changed the landscape of moral political theory, revitalizing the normative study of social issues and taking stands about justice, ethics, rationality and philosophical method that continue to draw followers and critics today.

In these five volumes, Henry S. Richardson and Paul Weithman draw together almost 90 of the most incisive and influential articles in that body of literature. The reprinted articles, many of them drawn from difficult-to-find sources, cover the gamut of controversies and conversations sparked by Rawls's work and represent a wide range of philosophical points of view. The selection also includes articles that reflect Rawls's reception in economics, law, and the social science more broadly.

The publication of these five volumes will be welcomed by students and scholars of contemporary political philosophy, and by anyone interested in the most probing reactions to the premier political philosopher of our time.

John Rawls is the preeminent political philosopher of our time. His 1971 masterpiece, A Theory of Justice, permanently changed the landscape of moral political theory, revitalizing the normative study of social issues and taking stands about justice, ethics, rationality and philosophical method that continue to draw followers and critics today.

In these five volumes, Henry S. Richardson and Paul Weithman draw together almost 90 of the most incisive and influential articles in that body of literature. The reprinted articles, many of them drawn from difficult-to-find sources, cover the gamut of controversies and conversations sparked by Rawls's work and represent a wide range of philosophical points of view. The selection also includes articles that reflect Rawls's reception in economics, law, and the social science more broadly.

The publication of these five volumes will be welcomed by students and scholars of contemporary political philosophy, and by anyone interested in the most probing reactions to the premier political philosopher of our time.

John Rawls is the preeminent political philosopher of our time. His 1971 masterpiece, A Theory of Justice, permanently changed the landscape of moral political theory, revitalizing the normative study of social issues and taking stands about justice, ethics, rationality and philosophical method that continue to draw followers and critics today.

In these five volumes, Henry S. Richardson and Paul Weithman draw together almost 90 of the most incisive and influential articles in that body of literature. The reprinted articles, many of them drawn from difficult-to-find sources, cover the gamut of controversies and conversations sparked by Rawls's work and represent a wide range of philosophical points of view. The selection also includes articles that reflect Rawls's reception in economics, law, and the social science more broadly.

The publication of these five volumes will be welcomed by students and scholars of contemporary political philosophy, and by anyone interested in the most probing reactions to the premier political philosopher of our time.

In 1971 John Rawls's A Theory of Justice transformed twentieth-century political philosophy, and it ranks among the most influential works in the history of the subject. This volume of new essays marks the 50th anniversary of its publication with a multi-faceted exploration of Rawls's most important book. A team of distinguished contributors reflects on Rawls's achievement in essays on his relationship to modern political philosophy and 20th-century economic theory, on his Kantianism, on his transition to political liberalism, on his account of public reason and contemporary challenges to it, on his theory's implications for problems of racial justice, on democracy and its fragility, and on Rawls's enduring legacy. The volume will be valuable for students and scholars working in moral and political philosophy, political theory, legal theory, and religious ethics.

For over twenty years, Paul Weithman has explored the thought of John Rawls to ask how liberalism can secure the principled allegiance of those people whom Rawls called 'citizens of faith'. This volume brings together ten of his major essays (including one new unpublished essay), which reflect on the task and political character of political philosophy, the ways in which liberalism does and does not privatize religion, the role of liberal legitimacy in Rawls's theory, and the requirements of public reason. The essays reveal Rawls as a thinker deeply engaged with political and existential questions that trouble citizens of faith, and explore how - in firm opposition to political realism - he tries to show that the possibility of liberal democracy and the natural goodness of humanity are objects of reasonable faith. The volume will be of interest to political philosophers, political theorists, moral theologians, and religious ethicists.

In Why Political Liberalism? Paul Weithman offers a fresh, rigorous, and compelling interpretation of John Rawls's reasons for taking his so-called "political turn." Weithman takes Rawls at his word that justice as fairness was recast as a form of political liberalism because of an inconsistency Rawls found in his early treatment of social stability. He argues that the inconsistency is best seen by identifying the threats to stability with which the early Rawls was concerned. One of those threats, often overlooked by Rawls's readers, is the threat that the justice of a well-ordered society would be undermined by a generalized prisoner's dilemma. Showing how the Rawls of "A Theory of Justice" tried to avert that threat shows that the much-neglected third part of that book is of considerably greater philosophical interest, and has considerably more unity of focus, than is generally appreciated. Weithman painstakingly reconstructs Rawls's attempts to show that a just society would be stable, and just as carefully shows why Rawls came to think those arguments were inconsistent with other parts of his theory. Weithman then shows that the changes Rawls introduced into his view between "Theory of Justice" and "Political Liberalism" result from his attempt to remove the inconsistency and show that the hazard of the generalized prisoner's dilemma can be averted after all. Recovering Rawls's two treatments of stability helps to answer contested questions about the role of the original position and the foundations of justice as fairness. The result is a powerful and unified reading of Rawls's work that explains his political turn and shows his enduring engagement with some of the deepest concerns of human life.

Political philosophy in the English-speaking world has been dominated for more than two decades by various versions of liberal theory, which holds that political inquiry should proceed without reference to religious views. Although a number of philosophers have contested this stance, no one has succeeded in dislodging liberalism from its position of dominance. The most interesting challenges to liberalism have come from those outside of the discipline of philosophy. Sociologists, legal scholars, and religious ethicists have attacked liberalism's embodiment in practice, arguing that liberal practice-particularly in the United States-has produced a culture which trivializes religion. This culture, they argue, is at odds with the beliefs and practices of large numbers of citizens. In the past, disciplinary barriers have limited scholarly exchange among philosophical liberals and their critics in theology. Religion and Contemporary Liberalism makes an important step towards increased dialogue among these scholars. A collection of original papers by philosophers, sociologists, theologians, and legal theorists, this volume will spark considerable debate in philosophy-debate which will be significant for all of those concerned with the place of religion within a liberal society.