Reconstructing Rawls

Reconstructing Rawls is a scholarly exploration of political philosophy and ethics. In this first volume, author Robert Taylor argues for a return to the Prussian Enlightenment to reclaim the foundations of autonomy-based liberalism. The text examines the shift in John Rawls's work during the 1980s, suggesting that this political turn pushed liberalism toward cultural relativism. By refocusing on Kantian liberalism, the book seeks to restore the universalistic promise found in A Theory of Justice.

This work of political science and history and theory offers a unique interpretation of justice as fairness. Taylor presents unorthodox perspectives on the priority of political liberty, fair equality of opportunity, and the difference principle. By blending civic-humanism and antimaterialist readings, Reconstructing Rawls provides a new path for understanding Rawlsian theory within the broader context of moral philosophy.