Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Athletic Policy, Passive Well-Being: Defending Freedom in the Capability Approach

Begon, Jessica

Athletic Policy, Passive Well-Being: Defending Freedom in the Capability Approach Thumbnail


Authors



Abstract

G.A. Cohen has criticized the capability approach for focusing on individuals’ freedom – their capability to control their lives – and ignoring benefits achieved passively. He argues that this view of well-being is excessively ‘athletic’. However, if the capability approach is employed to guide egalitarian public policy, capabilities are the appropriate goal of just distributive policies, not just components of individual well-being. When understood as a policy-guide, I argue that the capability approach's focus on ‘athletic’ individual freedom and control is justified: in the public domain, it is important not just that individuals receive benefits, but that they participate in their achievement.

Citation

Begon, J. (2016). Athletic Policy, Passive Well-Being: Defending Freedom in the Capability Approach. Economics and Philosophy, 32(01), 51-73. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0266267115000267

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 25, 2015
Online Publication Date Jul 16, 2015
Publication Date Mar 1, 2016
Deposit Date Sep 10, 2018
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Economics and Philosophy
Print ISSN 0266-2671
Electronic ISSN 1474-0028
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 32
Issue 01
Pages 51-73
DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/s0266267115000267

Files

Accepted Journal Article (258 Kb)
PDF

Copyright Statement
This article has been published in a revised form in Economics & Philosophy https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266267115000267. This version is free to view and download for private research and study only. Not for re-distribution, re-sale or use in derivative works. © Cambridge University Press 2015.





You might also like



Downloadable Citations