Agree Quote by John Rawls
“Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this should also present what they believe are public reasons for their argument. So their opinion is no longer just that of one particular party, but an opinion that all members of a society might reasonably agree to, not necessarily that they would agree to. What's important is that people give the kinds of reasons that can be understood and appraised apart from their particular comprehensive doctrines.”
About This Quote
Arguments should be grounded in reasons that all citizens can evaluate, separating public justification from private comprehensive doctrines to foster shared rational discourse.
In simple terms: Public reasons must be accessible to everyone.
Key Takeaway
Separate doctrine from public justification.
Themes
public reason
political discourse
inclusivity
rationality
pluralism
Mood
analytical
serious
optimistic
Type
theoretical
normative
practical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- legislative drafting
- civic education
Key Concepts
comprehensive doctrine
public justification
societal agreement
Practical Applications
- constitutional law analysis
- deliberative democracy workshops
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria make a reason truly public?
- How can we ensure diverse doctrines don’t dominate public discourse?
A Different Perspective
Some may argue that truly neutral public reasons are impossible because all reasoning is culturally conditioned.
![“...never [enter] into dispute or argument with another. I never saw an instance of one of two disputants convincing the other by argument. I have seen many, on their getting warm, becoming rude, & shooting one another. ... When I hear another express an opinion which is not mine, I say to myself…” quote by Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a82/thomas-jefferson-43_politics_never-enter-into-dispute-or-argument-wit_2220825.jpg)
![“I will not agree to have this bill [to repeal DADT ] go forward, because our economy is in the tank.” quote by John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c2c/john-mccain-465_agree_i-will-not-agree-to-have-this-bill-to-re_7321.jpg)
