Austin, A. orcid.org/0000-0003-0128-7018 (2018) Turning capabilities into functionings : practical reason as an activation factor. Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 19 (1). pp. 24-37. ISSN 1945-2829
Abstract
Practical reasoning is central to the capabilities approach. This paper sets out a new account of the role of practical reasoning in capability. Practical reasoning involves the development and evolution of an individual’s conception of the good—the kind of life she values and has reason to value. It is developed through socialization, and is subject to background social conditioning that may be empowering or constraining. As such, practical reasoning can be a subjective constraint on capability. This paper introduces a distinction between a person’s objective capability set and her effective capability set. Objective capabilities are determined by a configuration of commodities and conversion factors at the individual, social and environmental levels. Practical reasoning guides the act of choice that determines which element of the objective capability set will be actualized; effective capabilities are the real opportunities available to a person, given the filtering effects of her mode of practical reasoning. Practical reason can be conceptualized as an “Activation Factor” that mediates between hypothetical capability and achieved functioning. The paper concludes that practical reasoning deserves particular attention in social evaluations in the capability space: acknowledging the role of practical reasoning can help to illuminate gaps between freedom in principle and real positive freedom.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2017 Human Development and Capability Association. This is an author-produced version of a paper subsequently published in Journal of Human Development and Capabilities. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Practical Reason; Capabilities Approach; Socialization; Aspiration; Opportunity; Positive freedom |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 17 Sep 2019 13:27 |
Last Modified: | 18 Sep 2019 18:10 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/19452829.2017.1364225 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:150947 |