罗尔斯《正义论》中的理论退却及其美国元素

Theor etic Retr eat and Its Amer ican Elements in the Theory of Justice

作为对自由主义在新的历史背景下的一次重新辩护,罗尔斯的正义论代表了西方政治哲学界最重大的理论进展。而其从原始状态下的无知之幕到政治自由主义中的公共理性与重叠共识的论证策略的变化,实际上是一种理论上的退却并暴露了这一历史背景的美国元素。因此,在考察这种理论的时候,必须注意到它的美国特征,而在借鉴这种理论的时候,必须考虑到我们自身的历史处境。

As a new defense of liberalism in the new historical background, Rawls’ theory of justice is the biggest advancement in the Western political philosophy. His argument from the veil of ignorance in the initial conditions to the public reason and public political culture in the political liberalism is a kind of theoretical retreat and reveals its American character. So when we study his theory, we have to notice its American elements; when we use it for reference, we have to take our own historical conditions into consideration.