Fairness and Political Obligation—Again

David Lefkowitz's thoughtful and provocative discussion1 of my paper on fairness and political obligation prompts me to revisit some of the central points I wished to make there. My objective in the earlier discus sion was to apply a theory of fairness, which I had developed previously in a much larger work, to the familiar problem of political obligation.31 rehearsed my position on fairness only to the extent necessary to reach some conclusions about whether the notion of fairness could support a general obligation to obey the law. In light of Lefkowitz's concerns and criticisms, I want now to make some additional comments on the nature of fairness and add a bit to my conclusion that fairness, at least as I under stand this notion, does not support a general obligation to obey the law.