Related Ideas

Some philosophers have identified two kinds of reflective equilibrium in Rawls' work: narrow and wide. A narrow reflective equilibrium is reached by working back and forth between (a) proposed moral principles and (b) considered moral judgments. By making adjustments on either end, we eventually reach a state in which there is consistency between our principles and specific considered judgments.

A wide reflective equilibrium would involve (a) moral principles, (b) considered moral judgments, and (c) relevant background theories in philosophy or other areas. An example of a relevant background theory might be philosophical work on the concept of a person. A wide reflective equilibrium would require that our concept of a person be brought into a consistent whole with our moral principles and considered judgments.

Reference: See Norman Daniels Justice and Justification: Reflective Equilibrium in Theory and Practice.