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Shifting economics: fundamental questions and Amartya K. Sen’s pragmatic humanism

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  • Tara Natarajan

    (Saint Michael’s College)

Abstract

Amartya K. Sen’s body of work is an unrelenting project that consistently and coherently re-focuses the attention of economists and economics towards foundational questions. His capabilities framework has offered an expanded space of evaluation to directly judge the well-being of people and society. Through a detailed survey of Sen’s intellectual development, his readdressing fundamental rigidities in economic methodology, and his new framework for evaluation, this paper argues that Sen has inculcated new habits of mind, and engendered a social momentum in economic thought that takes human complexity and the richness of societal diversity into account. Creating a social momentum in economic thought through refocused habits of mind can have a sustainable impact in economics only if its scope is not sub-discipline specific, if it provides an inclusive framework, and if it builds bridges within and outside the discipline chiefly between economics and moral philosophy. Sen’s approach is pragmatic, courteous, and persuasive, but not divisive. It is expansive, yet contextual; it is humanistic. In Sen, economics is an inquiry into the nature and causes of human development.

Suggested Citation

  • Tara Natarajan, 2014. "Shifting economics: fundamental questions and Amartya K. Sen’s pragmatic humanism," The Journal of Philosophical Economics, Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, The Journal of Philosophical Economics, vol. 8(1), November.
  • Handle: RePEc:bus:jphile:v:8:y:2014:i:1:n:3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Geoffrey M. Hodgson, 2007. "Meanings of methodological individualism," Journal of Economic Methodology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(2), pages 211-226.
    2. Sen, Amartya & Pattanaik, Prasanta K., 1969. "Necessary and sufficient conditions for rational choice under majority decision," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 1(2), pages 178-202, August.
    3. Julie A. Nelson, 1995. "Feminism and Economics," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 9(2), pages 131-148, Spring.
    4. Des Gasper, 2002. "Is Sen's Capability Approach an Adequate Basis for Considering Human Development?," Review of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(4), pages 435-461.
    5. Sen, Amartya, 1985. "Social Choice and Justice: A Review Article," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 23(4), pages 1764-1776, December.
    6. Ingrid Robeyns, 2003. "Sen'S Capability Approach And Gender Inequality: Selecting Relevant Capabilities," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2-3), pages 61-92.
    7. Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, 2003. "The Human Development Paradigm: Operationalizing Sen'S Ideas On Capabilities," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2-3), pages 301-317.
    8. David Clark, 2005. "Sen's capability approach and the many spaces of human well-being," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(8), pages 1339-1368.
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    10. Sabina Alkire & Rufus Black, 1997. "A practical reasoning theory of development ethhics: furthering the capabilities approach," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 9(2), pages 263-279.
    11. Nelson, Julie A., 1997. "Feminism, ecology and the philosophy of economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 155-162, February.
    12. Qizilbash, Mozaffar, 2006. "Capability, Happiness and Adaptation in Sen and J. S. Mill," Utilitas, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(1), pages 20-32, March.
    13. Bina Agarwal & Jane Humphries & Ingrid Robeyns, 2003. "Exploring The Challenges Of Amartya Sen'S Work And Ideas: An Introduction," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2-3), pages 3-12.
    14. Ferber, Marianne A. & Nelson, Julie A. (ed.), 1993. "Beyond Economic Man," University of Chicago Press Economics Books, University of Chicago Press, edition 1, number 9780226242019, June.
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    16. David Clark, 2003. "Concepts and Perceptions of Human Well-being: Some Evidence from South Africa," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(2), pages 173-196.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pablo Garcés, 2022. "Pragmatic behaviour: pragmatism as a philosophy for behavioural economics," The Journal of Philosophical Economics, Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, The Journal of Philosophical Economics, vol. 15(1), pages 1-34.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    capabilities approach; evaluative space; utility problematic; behavioral foundations of economics;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • B59 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Other

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