Nussbaum: Capabilities Approach

When reading Nussbaum’s chapter: “Women and Cultural Universals”, I liked the idea of the capabilities approach as I thought that it was a very open approach and took important things into consideration such as the distribution of resources and opportunities along with considering people one by one instead of as a unit. As Nussbaum pointed out this approach should focus on one question which is: “What are the people of the group or country in question actually able to do and to be?” (Nussbaum, 34). It is very important to also note that along with that it is important to realize how preferences are not always obtained and that we can not judge quality of life based on preferences because barriers such as oppression and deprivation could be deforming people’s quality of approach. It is crucial to realize that with the capabilities approach, the resources themselves do not carry any value besides increasing the functioning of humans. However, upon further reading and evaluation I decided that maybe this is not the most secure or effective approach. 

With the capabilities approach, there are 10 central human capabilities and in order to live a full life an individual has to be CAPABLE of each of these. These capabilities include: 1. life, 2. bodily health, 3.bodily integrity, 4. senses, imagination and thought, 5. emotions, 6. practical reason, 7. affiliation, 8. other species, 9. play, and finally 10. control over one’s environment. If an individual is not capable of one of the capabilities does that mean that they are unable to life a good life? In the eyes of Nussbaum, even without one of the listed capabilities the individual will be depriving themselves of fulfilling a “full life”. Unfortunately, I have to object to Nussbaum’s capabilities approach as I believe that with this approach it is taking away a person’s individuality and leaving them unable to determine what is needed or what is not needed for them to live a full life. People differ in so many ways and there are many factors play a role in people’s happiness considering what may or not be available. I feel like it is an extremely bold statement to say that if an individual is lacking any of the central human capabilities, that they are not living  full life. We need to be understanding of different cultures, and more importantly accept the idea that not everyone finds the same aspects of life fulfilling. While I may feel that way Nussbaum would object to my statement, by point out that in order for genuine choice and autonomy is possible, that certain social and material conditions are met. The central human capabilities is a basis of what everyone should be including in their lives to ensure that those conditions that make a full life complete are met as they are extremely important to our overall happiness. It is just important to reiterate that while she might believe that this is necessary for genuine choice and autonomy, I believe that it is not taking individuality into consideration and the idea that everyone does not need the same things to live a fulfilling life.