No. 11 · Decisions · Systems
Veil of Ignorance
Write the rules as if you did not know which seat you would get.
In the Almanac
“Rawls’s original position”, 1971 · “Mondragon”, 1956
Both stories in full, three ways to use it and where it misleads.
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Questions
What is Veil of Ignorance?
The Veil of Ignorance, made famous by philosopher John Rawls, asks you to choose rules without knowing whether you'll be rich or poor, boss or newest hire. Because you can't tilt the outcome toward yourself, you're pushed toward choices that feel fair from every position.
How do you use Veil of Ignorance?
Use it when setting work rotas, splitting household chores, or judging local policies. Ask: would I accept this if I drew the worst seat? It won't settle every detail, but it is a sharp test of fairness versus convenience.
When does Veil of Ignorance matter?
Veil of Ignorance is one of the 35 mental models for decisions, the situations where you ask: Which way should I go? Within that, it belongs to “Weighing the options”, alongside A/B Testing, Back-of-the-Envelope Calculation and Cost-Benefit Analysis.
What is an example of Veil of Ignorance?
Two stories show it at work: Rawls’s original position (1971) and Mondragon (1956). Both are told in full in The Mental Models Daily Almanac, which has two stories for each of its 365 models.
Which mental models are related to Veil of Ignorance?
Distributive Justice vs Procedural Justice, Utilitarianism and Freudian Slip. Veil of Ignorance itself comes from systems.