Sen’s Capability Approach: The Role of Practical Reason in Social Science

Abstract

This chapter will present Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach (CA) highlighting how it creates a role for practical reason in social sciences, and specifically in economics. Section 3.2 will deal with two problems in Sen’s CA: first, the definition of specific capabilities given their plurality, and second, how to choose among capabilities given their incommensurability, and thus the issue of whether there is a hierarchy of capabilities. These two problems are at the root of the claim that the CA is inoperative. The first problem was the topic of a discussion between Sen and Nussbaum about establishing a possible list of capabilities. This will lead to introduce and discuss Nussbaum’s positions.