Reasonableness, capabilities and human dignity: An analysis of universality and value pluralism in Rawls, Sen and Nussbaum

Theories of justice face a core dilemma: they aim to define a universal standard valid across societies while respecting the diversity of values. This thesis critically examines how John Rawls, Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum address this tension and how their ideas converge and diverge. It traces Rawls’s evolution from a metaphysical theory to political liberalism, where principles of justice are politically justified through an overlapping consensus among reasonable citizens. Sen criticizes Rawls for his use of primary goods, embraces diversity and advances a capability approach grounded in public reasoning and democratic deliberation. However, his refusal to name a definitive set of capabilities risks ignoring critical freedoms. The thesis concludes that Nussbaum successfully reconciles universality and pluralism through grounding her universal list of capabilities in human dignity and an overlapping consensus. She offers a freestanding framework that remains sensitive to local...Show moreTheories of justice face a core dilemma: they aim to define a universal standard valid across societies while respecting the diversity of values. This thesis critically examines how John Rawls, Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum address this tension and how their ideas converge and diverge. It traces Rawls’s evolution from a metaphysical theory to political liberalism, where principles of justice are politically justified through an overlapping consensus among reasonable citizens. Sen criticizes Rawls for his use of primary goods, embraces diversity and advances a capability approach grounded in public reasoning and democratic deliberation. However, his refusal to name a definitive set of capabilities risks ignoring critical freedoms. The thesis concludes that Nussbaum successfully reconciles universality and pluralism through grounding her universal list of capabilities in human dignity and an overlapping consensus. She offers a freestanding framework that remains sensitive to local contexts through democratic deliberation.Show less

Leiden University Student Repository

Documents

In Collections

Reasonableness, capabilities and human dignity: An analysis of universality and value pluralism in Rawls, Sen and Nussbaum