b. 1947
Martha Nussbaum is an American philosopher and legal scholar known for her work on the capabilities approach, political liberalism, and the role of emotions in ethical life. A professor at the University of Chicago, she has made influential contributions across moral philosophy, political theory, feminism, and ancient Greek philosophy.
Co-developed the Capabilities Approach to human development with Amartya Sen
Authored 'The Fragility of Goodness', a landmark study of luck and ethics in Greek philosophy
Advanced philosophical arguments for constitutional protections of human dignity and social justice
Developed influential accounts of the role of emotions in moral reasoning and public life
Contributed extensively to feminist philosophy and critiques of objectification
Heterosexual men cannot imagine how a female rape victim feels.
claimPhilosophers speculating about women ought to take into account the obstacles to women's opportunities for subjecthood and choice created by those who constructed an oppressive situation for women.
claimStructural conditions such as poverty and absence of social provisions can force individuals into tragic choices between basic needs and basic moral duties.