Veil of Ignorance Simulator: The Fairness Test
The Veil of Ignorance is a famous thought experiment by philosopher John Rawls. It challenges you to design a fair society without knowing who you will be in it.
Imagine you are in the "Original Position," behind a veil where your wealth, talents, and status are hidden. How would you distribute resources? Would you risk being poor in an unequal world, or create safety nets? Take this interactive test to see if you can build a truly just world.
A thought experiment in justice
Design the world.Then live in it as anyone.
“No one knows their place in society, their class position or social status, nor their fortune in the distribution of natural assets.”
- The Constitution
Draft 5 laws
Choose your society’s laws before you know who you’ll be: rich, poor, healthy, or not.
- The Rebirth Lottery
Spin the wheel
The Wheel of Fate drops you into one of 16 real demographic lives, at random.
- Flourish or Collapse
Face the outcome
Did the world you built protect you, or did your own laws work against you?
~2 min · based on Rawls’s veil of ignorance
Understanding the Theory
John Rawls introduced this concept in A Theory of Justice (1971). His goal was to derive principles of justice that rational, free, and equal people would agree to.
The core idea is "Justice as Fairness." By removing knowledge of our own advantages, we are forced to empathize with the least advantaged members of society. This simulation turns that abstract idea into something you can actually play.
Real-World Applications
- Designing Fair Tax Systems
- Healthcare Resource Allocation
- Corporate Policy & DEI
- AI Ethics & Algorithmic Fairness
Principles of Justice
"Justice is the first virtue of social institutions, as truth is of systems of thought." — John Rawls
1. The Liberty Principle
Each person has an equal right to the most extensive basic liberties compatible with similar liberties for others.
2. The Difference Principle
Social and economic inequalities must be attached to offices open to all (fair opportunity) and must be to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Veil of Ignorance thought experiment?
The Veil of Ignorance is a philosophical concept proposed by John Rawls in his "Theory of Justice." It asks you to design a society without knowing your own social status, wealth, or abilities within it, so you have no way to write rules that favor yourself.
How does the Veil of Ignorance test fairness?
It removes personal bias. If you don't know whether you will be rich or poor, talented or disabled, the rational move is to choose rules that benefit the least advantaged, which gives everyone a baseline of fairness.
What is the Original Position?
The Original Position is the hypothetical state in Rawls' theory where decision-makers sit behind the Veil of Ignorance to select the principles of justice for their society.
Can I use this veil of ignorance simulator in class?
Yes. It is free, needs no login, and runs in a browser on iPads, Chromebooks and phones. One round takes about 2 minutes, so it fits inside a 45-minute lesson with time for discussion. The teacher guide has a lesson structure, discussion questions and a printable worksheet.
What is an example of the veil of ignorance?
Designing a healthcare system without knowing whether you will be born healthy or with a chronic illness. Behind the veil, most people refuse a system that leaves the sick uninsured, because they might be the one who needs it. Rawls argued the same reasoning applies to taxes, schooling and access to jobs.