Capabilities Approach

The Capabilities Approach, pioneered by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum, centers on the idea that assessing a person's well-being requires understanding their capabilities – the set of valuable functionings they have access to. Functionings are defined as beings and doings, like being healthy, being educated, or participating in political life.

A core concept is the distinction between resources and capabilities. Having resources, like income or goods, is not enough; what matters is whether those resources enable individuals to achieve valuable functionings. Someone with ample food might still be malnourished due to a medical condition, highlighting the importance of converting resources into actual well-being.

The approach emphasizes individual agency and freedom. It's not just about achieving certain outcomes but about having the opportunity to choose between different ways of living. This freedom to choose is considered intrinsically valuable.

Martha Nussbaum has developed a list of ten central capabilities that she argues are essential for a minimally decent life. These include life, bodily health, bodily integrity, senses, imagination, and thought, emotions, practical reason, affiliation, other species, play, and control over one's environment.

The Capabilities Approach is particularly relevant in discussions of social justice and development. It provides a framework for evaluating policies and institutions based on their impact on people's capabilities, rather than simply focusing on economic growth or aggregate utility.

This framework has been applied to a wide range of issues, including poverty reduction, gender equality, healthcare, and education. It offers a more nuanced and comprehensive approach than traditional economic or utilitarian models.

A key strength of the Capabilities Approach is its emphasis on human diversity. It recognizes that people have different needs and preferences, and that a just society should provide opportunities for everyone to flourish in their own way.

While influential, the Capabilities Approach has also faced criticisms. Some argue that it is difficult to operationalize and measure capabilities, while others question the universality of Nussbaum's list of central capabilities. Despite these challenges, it remains a significant and evolving framework in contemporary political philosophy.