The Rawls–Sen Debate

The Rawls–Sen debate involves two influential philosophers discussing how to evaluate social justice. John Rawls emphasizes creating fairness through principles that protect the least advantaged, focusing on equality and fairness from a hypothetical "original position." Amartya Sen criticizes Rawls for relying too much on abstract ideas of equality, arguing that real-world considerations like freedoms, opportunities, and individual well-being are more important. Ultimately, the debate centers on how best to assess justice—whether through ideal fairness and fairness in theory (Rawls) or through practical, diverse assessments of people's actual needs and capabilities (Sen).