Final answer:
The 'veil of ignorance' is a concept by John Rawls for establishing justice in a fair society, not for describing a lack of philosophical reason. It refers to making decisions without personal bias in the 'original position,' aiming for equitable treatment of all, especially the least well-off.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the 'veil of ignorance' is John Rawls's term for the situation of those who lack philosophical reason is False. The veil of ignorance is a concept proposed by American philosopher John Rawls to establish a scenario for determining the principles of justice that should govern a fair society. Instead of being a comment on individuals' lack of philosophical reasoning, the veil of ignorance represents a situation where individuals in the original position of society make decisions without knowledge of their own socio-economic status, race, or any personal bias that could affect their judgements. This concept is central in Rawls's theory of justice as outlined in his book A Theory of Justice.
The veil of ignorance is used as a tool to achieve fairness because it removes any knowledge that could influence one's decisions in favor of personal circumstances. It encourages decision-makers to adopt a position of impartiality, thus leading to a more equitable set of principles that should ideally apply to all members of society without causing discrimination or favoritism. Rawls's theory focuses on ensuring that everyone, especially the least well-off, is treated justly in the construction of social institutions and policies.
Therefore, Rawls's conception of social justice that invokes the veil of ignorance is Rawls's theory (not Marxism, Libertarianism, or Utilitarianism), as it is particularly aimed at designing a society that respects principles of justice by considering a scenario where all individual characteristics are concealed.