The conscious sense of oneself, equivalent to “I”. In Freudian psychoanalytic theory, this part of the personality maintains a balance between the primitive, unconscious instincts of the id, the controls of the superego, and the demands of the outside world.
A psychoanalytical term to describe that part of the mind which develops as a result of the individual’s interactions with the outside world. Freud (see FREUDIAN THEORY) describes the Ego as reconciling the demands of the Id (a person’s unconscious, instinctive mind), the Superego (moral conscience) and the reality of the outside world.
n. (in psychoanalysis) the part of the mind that develops from a person’s experience of the outside world and is most in touch with external realities. In Freudian terms the ego is said to reconcile the demands of the *id (the instinctive unconscious mind), the *superego (moral conscience), and reality.
a hypothetical state, advanced by the US political philosopher John Rawls, in which decisions about social justice and the allocation of resources would be made fairly, as if by a person who must decide on society’s rules and economic structures without knowing what position he or she will occupy in that society. By removing knowledge of status, abilities, and interests, Rawls argued, one could eliminate the usual effects of egotism and personal circumstances on such decisions. Rawls maintained that any society designed on this basis would adhere to two principles: the principle of equal liberty, which gives each person the right to as much freedom as is compatible with the freedom of others, and the maximin principle, which allocates resources so that the benefit of the least advantaged people is maximized as far as possible. Rawls’s exposition, and the maximin principle in particular, have proved widely influential in discussions of welfare provision and, especially, the allocation of medical resources.... veil of ignorance
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