Justice and Democracy in Amartya Sen

Amartya Sen and the media

Amartya Sen has correctly sought to correct some shortcomings within neoclassical economic theory. Nonetheless, there still exists a tension in his work. His overall frame of analysis is still congruent with much of the neoclassical tradition. However, his critiques seem to imply that a sharp break with neoclassical theory is necessary. This conflict is examined in light of the connections betw...

Review Essay Senses of Sen: reflections on Amartya Sen’s ideas of justice

The Idea of Justice is one of those books that –whether we agree with its ultimate conclusions or not – will be virtually impossible to ignore. And for good reason: it takes on one of the great political philosophers of our time, John Rawls, and deepens, enriches and challenges some basic Rawlsian ideas. Sen’s basic argument is that the Rawlsian approach to justice, which has profoundly influen...

Amartya Sen: Development as Capability Expansion

Page Introduction ........................................................................................................................41 The capability approach: conceptual roots .........................................................................43 Commodities, functionings and capability..........................................................................43 Utilitarian calculus ...

Symposium on Amartya Sen's Philosophy: 3 Sen and Consequentialism

postulating an affinity: Amartya Sen on capability and Tagore

Mahatma Gandhi was visiting Rabindranath Tagore’s School in Santiniketan, just outside Calcutta, India. A young girl approached him for an autograph. In her book he penned this entry: “Never make a promise in haste. Having once made it fulfil it at the cost of your life.” His words have crossed my mind more than once, especially the first part of the entry “never make a promise in haste” during...