Nussbaum: The Central Human Functional Capabilities
What are the central life capabilities?
The central life capabilities are the actions and choices of functionality that humans by nature have.
The 10 are: 1.Life, 2.Bodily health and integrity, 3. Bodily integrity, 4.Senses, imagination, thought, 5.Emotions, 6.Practical reason, 7.Affiliation, 8.Other species, 9.Play, & 10.Control over one’s environment.
These capabilities are normal functions that occur in everyday life. These capabilities are the normal everyday functions that middle class people go through. These capabilities are not challenging to an average person, but to someone with a disability or someone who is poor, these are challenging. “The capabilities approach, as I conceived it, claims that a life that lacks any one of these capabilities, no matter what else it has, will fall short of being a good human life”(Nussbaum 216). This statement shows the need for uniformity in a government. Making these guide lines on how life capabilities should function gives the idea of equality, when in realization it is not. Nussbaum is arguing that capability, not function should be the goal of public policies. What I understand from this is that although most all of us are capable of these tasks; how we function actually represent what we are capable of. She is saying that although we have these capabilities, that we need to achieve, the only way someone can gage the purist of happiness of a nations population; is through the way that nation’s people act out and function to achieve the central life capabilities.


Nussbaum, Martha C. "The Central Human Functional Capabilities." A World of Ideas: Essential Reading for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martins. 2006. pp. 213-221.

John Rawls: A Theory of Justice
What is Rawls attitudes toward the least advantaged people in society?

This reading confused me a bit, but I think what Rawls is saying is that in order for life to function each sector or group needs to have established standard of living. The people at the bottom of this chart will in turn affect the higher people in society due to the fact that in any cycle one level affects the next. “Since each desires to protect his interests, his capacity to advance his conception of the good, no one has a reason to acquiesce in a enduring loss for himself in order to bring about a greater net balance of satisfaction” (Rawls 202). Through this quote, I feel that Rawls is trying to say that people in general are concerned for themselves, so why should a person go out of their way to better someone of a lower rank and in turn affect their standings. What need is there to balance a system that is already distinctly divided. I am not sure if this is what he means, but what I get from it is that Rawls feels the need for the division and rank of citizens and that if you are a disadvantaged person in society, then that is where you should stay, unless you can bring yourself out of it. Rawls feels that what is just then in turn is fair, each sector of ranks need to keep where they are in order for the system to be just which is supposable fair.

Rawls, John. “A Theory of Justice.” A World of Ideas: Essential Reading for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. New York; Bedford St. Martins, 2006. pp 195-206.

According to Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the power that men have over women had to do with every aspect of a woman’s life. No matter if a woman was married or not, she was controlled by a man. “He has made her, if married, in the eye of the law, civility dead” (Stanton 165). If a woman was married, nothing that she said or did was a reflection of her, but it was a reflection of what there husband wanted. The money that she made was given to their husband to spend any way he pleased. The way she stands up for these rights, of course make sense, but the way she puts it shows a massive amount of strength and bravery. If all of the things she is saying were true in her time, then standing up and making a statement like the one she did, proved what she was saying was right. If women never wanted to get out of the shadow of a man, then life would not be as it is today. Without people coming forth and going against struggles, change cannot occur and will not occur. Stanton uses the word he to show the power being forced down upon women. “He has endeavored in every way he could, to destroy her confidence in her own powers, to lesson her self-respect, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life (Stanton 166). Stanton realizes that men have taken the control over women and made them feel as if nothing, in order for the women to not rebel and live as a slave to men. The way she puts this shows to these women that life is not just a mundane existence, but that women can get everything a man has. For the change that Stanton wanted to occur, all women needed to step forth and begin standing up for their rights as citizens.


Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions.” A World of Ideas: Essential Reading for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. New York; Bedford St. Martins, 2006. pp 164-168.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

“But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here” (King 174). Through this quote, you can understand why Martin Luther King Jr. feels that protesting in Birmingham was necessary. His comrades of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference invited him to this city “to engage in a non-violent direct-action program…” (King 174). The in-justice he suffered in this city is indicated by the fact his was sent to jail for a non-violent protest. Through this letter King is explaining how the police/government have not given the Negro there right to their freedom of speech and freedom in general. “We know through painful experiences that freedom is never voluntary given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed” (King 177). This quote shows why these non-violent protests and walks were needed. If someone is not freely giving you something that you deserve, then you need to put forth effort to achieve it. The way Dr. King shows that this in-justice has led to protests and not negotiation is through the way he explains how one gets to negotiation, “The purpose of out direct-action program is to create a situation so crisis-packed that it will inevitability open the door to negotiation” (King 176). King is saying that if someone will not negotiate with you, then there has to be ways for you to non violently make this happen. A person needs to stand up for what they believe is right; otherwise, what they believe amounts to nothing. “I suppose I should have realized that few members of the oppressor race can understand the deep groans and passionate yearnings of the oppressed race,” (King 185). Now matter what color you are if you do not show moral and just emotions towards what you feel is right, then there can never be a change. If you do not stand, up for your beliefs then they are lost and change will not occur until a martyr comes forth.




King Jr., Martin Luther. “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” A World of Ideas: Essential Reading for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. New York; Bedford St. Martins, 2006. pp 173-189.

Thoreau, Henry D. “Civil Disobedience.”A World of Ideas: Essential Reading for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. New York; Bedford St. Martins, 2006. pp 137-157.

-What kind of government does Thoreau feel would be the most just? In this reading, Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau, I believe that the kind of government that Thoreau feels is most just is the type where the government has very little control. “…That government is best which governs least,” and “that government is best which governs not at all…” (Thoreau 137). Through this quote, you can see how Thoreau feels. He is saying that a government, in which he would like, has little control and that this government does not make it a point to use that control. This quote can be applied to the thinking of Lao-tzu and how he perceives government and believes that a government needs to give up some control in order for things to fall into place. I understand what Thoreau is trying to say with his two quotes and I agree with him about how government control should be to a minimum. However, when he states that a government should not be governed at all, I believe that, although he does not mean that there should be absolutely no law, but that the control the government has is not to be pushed in the faces of its citizens. The way Thoreau writes can be compared to the issues nowadays and his ideas are still relevant. “It is truly enough said that a corporation has not conscience; but a corporation of conscious men is a corporation with a conscience” (Thoreau 138-139) This quote can still be applied with business of today, and the cutthroat business in which they deal. Thoreau’s ideas show relevance today because he looked at the simple ideas of government and these ideas and issues have not changed over the years because our government is based on tradition. “The American government- what is but a tradition,” (Thoreau 138).






Thoreau, Henry D. “Civil Disobedience.” Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. New York; Bedford St. Martins, 2006. pp 137-157.