In Martha Nussbaum’s analysis of capabilities,* she provides an interesting list of things we all need. I thought this was a valid interpretation of basic human rights – something we can use to assess someone’s quality of life. I especially like that she says this list can be adapted depending on your culture. She takes a stance that says we can reach a “cross-cultural consensus.” And that’s just… nice.
What do you think?
Central Human Functional Capabilities
1. Life. Being able to live to the end of a human life of normal length; not dying prematurely or before one’s life is so reduced as to be not worth living.
2. Bodily Health. Being able to have good health, including reproductive health; be adequately nourished; and have adequate shelter.
3. Bodily Integrity. Being able to move freely from place to place; to be secure against violent assault, including sexual assault and domestic violence; having opportunities for sexual satisfaction and choice in matters of reproduction.
4. Senses, Imagination, and Thought. Being able to use the senses to imagine, think, and reason; and to do these things in a “truly human” way—a way informed and cultivated by an adequate education, including literacy and basic mathematical and scientific training. Being able to use imagination and thought in connection with experiencing and producing works and events of one’s own choice: religious, literary, musical, and so forth. Being able to use one’s mind in ways protected by guarantees of freedom of expression with respect to both political and artistic speech, and freedom of religious exercise. Being able to have pleasurable experiences and to avoid non-necessary pain.
5. Emotions. Being able to have attachments to things and people outside ourselves; to love those who love and care for us, to grieve at their absence. In general to love, grieve, experience longing, gratitude, and justified anger. Not having one’s emotional development blighted by fear and anxiety. Supporting this capability means supporting forms of human association that can be shown to be crucial in their development.
6. Practical Reason. Being able to form a conception of the good and engage in critical reflection about the planning of one’s life. (This entails protection for the liberty of conscience.)
7. Affiliation.
A. Being able to live with and toward others, to recognize and show concern for other human beings, to engage in another and to have compassion for that situation; to have the capability for both justice and friendship. Protecting this capability means protecting institutions that constitute and nourish such forms of affiliation, and protecting freedom of assembly and political speech.
B. Having the social bases of self-respect and nonhumiliation; being able to be treated as a dignified being whose worth is equal to that of others. This entails protections against discrimination on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, caste, ethnicity, or national origin.
8. Other Species. Being able to live with concern for and in relation to animals, plants, and the world of nature.
9. Play. Being able to laugh, play, and enjoy recreational activities.
10. Control Over One’s Environment.
A. Political. Being able to effectively participate in political choices that govern one’s life; having protections of free speech and association.
B. Material. Being able to hold property (both land and movable goods); having the right to seek employment on an equal basis with others; having the freedom from unwarranted search and seizure. In work, being able to work as a human being, exercising practical reason, and entering into meaningful relationships of mutual recognition with other workers.
* Titled “Promoting women’s capabilities,” in 2003′s Global tensions: Challenges and opportunities in the world economy by Lourdes Beneria and Savitri Bisnath.
I really like this. I kinda think we should have it added to the Charter….or possibly replace the Charter with it…
But really, this would make a very good starting place (at the very least) for any kind of national bill/charter of rights or even a constitution. Who would ever think to put “Being able to laugh, play, and enjoy recreational activities.” in a constitution?