DVM 2105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Martha Nussbaum, Amartya Sen, Aristotelian Ethics
20 Aug 2016
School
Course
Professor
DVM 210 lecture 3
September 17th 2015
Global Ethics and International Development
-ethics as:
-beliefs about right/wrong and good/bad
-theories behind the belief
-largely undeserved suffering; babies’ suffering is not deserved
-this issue pertains to people not having the choice of which family they are born into
-Martha Nussbaum (1947)
-American philosopher
-key work with Amartya Sen
-key ideas: capabilities approach, Aristotelian ethics, human flourishing
-achievements in the last 60 years:
-doubling of life expectancy
-reduction in morbidity
-higher quality of life
-soaring incomes in many low income countries since 1980s (China, India, SE Asia) and
2000s (Africa, Latin America)
-the rise of income does not mean that everyone in the country is making more money
but perhaps the top percentage of people are richer and the bottom percentage are
poorer
-much of suffering is avoidable and undeserved
-often unintended harm due to other people’s actions results
-interconnections and built in conflicts result from socio economic development
-investment for future generations may be at the expense of poor people presently
-construction of infrastructure for some people’s benefit results in displacement of other people
-increased wealth of some people competes away resources in markets from poorer people
-risk of famine when wealth from around the world starts to command resources from around
the world (taking resources from one country and exploiting them)
-increased carbon consumption by some people indirectly images people in vulnerable
environments, nationally and internationally
-the future; climate injustice, unborn generations
-the past; past injustices/unfairness and their consequences, world food price hike of 2008
(and ongoing)
-famines:
-Ireland (1840s)
-India and China (late 19th c)
-Soviet Union (1930s)
-Bangladesh, Ethiopia (1970s)
-food follows purchasing power; if people have no purchasing power, the food is moved out
elsewhere to be for sale to others
-Lord Lytton; 1831-91, poet
-Viceroy of India (1876-80)
-presided over the great famine in which 6-10 million people died
-declared that relief efforts produced more dependency
-so he only spent on those who did heavy work and gave them tiny portions
-10-15 million people have been displaced to make way for new projects (where????)
-economic, psychological and social disruption
-people are rarely seriously consulted or compensated
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Document Summary
Largely undeserved suffering; babies" suffering is not deserved. This issue pertains to people not having the choice of which family they are born into. Key ideas: capabilities approach, aristotelian ethics, human ourishing. Soaring incomes in many low income countries since 1980s (china, india, se asia) and. The rise of income does not mean that everyone in the country is making more money but perhaps the top percentage of people are richer and the bottom percentage are poorer. Much of suffering is avoidable and undeserved. Often unintended harm due to other people"s actions results. Interconnections and built in con icts result from socio economic development. Investment for future generations may be at the expense of poor people presently. Construction of infrastructure for some people"s bene t results in displacement of other people. Increased wealth of some people competes away resources in markets from poorer people.
