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Capabilities as causal powers

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  • Nuno Martins

Abstract

The author argues that Sen's capability approach is primarily a philosophical under-labouring exercise aimed at elaborating certain central economic categories, and that the philosophical and methodological underpinnings of Sen's approach are radically different from those of contemporary welfare economics and mainstream economic practice. Sen's notion of 'capabilities' as the potential functionings to achieve well-being is interpreted here as a specification of the ontological category of 'causal power', presupposing an open system conception of reality that contrasts with much of contemporary economic practice. Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Nuno Martins, 2006. "Capabilities as causal powers," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 30(5), pages 671-685, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:cambje:v:30:y:2006:i:5:p:671-685
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/cje/bel012
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    Cited by:

    1. Ballet, Jérôme & Marchand, Lucile & Pelenc, Jérôme & Vos, Robin, 2018. "Capabilities, Identity, Aspirations and Ecosystem Services: An Integrated Framework," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 21-28.
    2. Veneziani, Roberto & Yoshihara, Naoki, 2014. "One Million Miles to Go: Taking the Axiomatic Road to Defining Exploitation," Discussion Paper Series 615, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    3. Ballet, Jérôme & Bazin, Damien Jérôme Albert & Komena, Boniface K., 2020. "Unequal capabilities and natural resource management: The case of Côte d’Ivoire," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    4. Mabsout, Ramzi, 2015. "Mindful capability," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 86-97.
    5. Martins, Nuno, 2011. "Sustainability economics, ontology and the capability approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 1-4.
    6. Nuno Ornelas Martins, 2018. "Justice and the Social Ontology of the Corporation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(1), pages 17-28, November.
    7. Kihiu, Evelyne Nyathira, 2016. "Basic capability effect: Collective management of pastoral resources in southwestern Kenya," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 23-34.
    8. repec:ums:papers:2014-010 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Charles, Aurelie & Vujić, Sunčica, 2018. "From Elitist to Sustainable Earnings: Is there a group legitimacy in financial flows?," GLO Discussion Paper Series 200, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    10. Ballet, Jérôme & Koffi, Jean-Marcel & Pelenc, Jérôme, 2013. "Environment, justice and the capability approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 28-34.
    11. Demals, Thierry & Hyard, Alexandra, 2014. "Is Amartya Sen's sustainable freedom a broader vision of sustainability?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 33-38.
    12. Lukáš Kovanda, 2010. "Kritický realismus: ontologická báze postkeynesovské ekonomie [Critical Realism as an Ontological Basis of Post-Keynesianism]," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2010(5), pages 608-622.
    13. Birkin, Frank & Polesie, Thomas, 2013. "The relevance of epistemic analysis to sustainability economics and the capability approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 144-152.
    14. Nuno Ornelas Martins & Américo Mendes, 2012. "Social Exclusion of Immigrants from a Capability Perspective: The Case of Portugal," Chapters, in: Roberta Capello & Tomaz Ponce Dentinho (ed.), Globalization Trends and Regional Development, chapter 10, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    15. Antoinette BAUJARD & Muriel GILARDONE, 2020. "Reconciling agency and impartiality: positional views as the cornerstone of Sen’s idea of justice," Economics Working Paper from Condorcet Center for political Economy at CREM-CNRS 2020-03-ccr, Condorcet Center for political Economy.
    16. Martins, Nuno Ornelas, 2022. "Sustainability and development through the humanistic lens of Schumacher and Sen," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    17. Roberta Capello & Tomaz Ponce Dentinho (ed.), 2012. "Globalization Trends and Regional Development," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14815.

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