Showing papers by "Amartya Sen published in 2010"

Mis-measuring our lives : why GDP doesn't add up?

Abstract: Table of

La idea de la justicia

Abstract: ?Es la justicia social un ideal fuera de nuestro alcance o una posibilidad real? Mas alla del discurso intelectual, la idea de la justicia desempena un importante papel en nuestras vidas. Amartya Sen ofrece una alternativa a las teorias convencionales de la justicia, que a pesar de sus muchos logros hace tiempo que dejaron atras las realidades practicas. Desde la Ilustracion, las teorias dominantes han tendido a ocuparse de identificar las disposiciones sociales perfectamente justas y definir la naturaleza de la sociedad perfecta. Sen, entregado a la reduccion de la injusticia, centra su enfoque en los juicios comparativos de lo que es «mas» o «menos» justo y en evaluar los meritos de ciertas instituciones e interacciones sociales. En el nucleo de su reflexion subyace el respeto por las diferentes percepciones de la «sociedad justa». Muy distintas convicciones pueden ofrecer soluciones claras, directas y defendibles. La perspectiva de Sen, uno de los pensadores mas influyentes de nuestra era, hace uso de esa pluralidad con el fin de construir una teoria de la justicia para el mundo moderno, capaz de absorber distintos puntos de vista y resolver las cuestiones de injusticia global

Adam Smith and the contemporary world

Abstract: This paper argues that many of Adam Smith's insights, particularly those in his Theory of moral sentiments, have a relevance to contemporary thought about economics and ethics that is currently underappreciated. In economics, for example, Smith was concerned not only with the sufficiency of self-interest at the moment of exchange but also with the wider moral motivations and institutions required to support economic activity in general. In ethics, Smith's concept of an impartial spectator who is able to view our situation from a critical distance has much to contribute to a fuller understanding of the requirements of justice, particularly through an understanding of impartiality as going beyond the interests and concerns of a local contracting group. Smith's open, realization-focussed and comparative approach to evaluation contrasts with what I call the "transcendental institutionalism" popular in contemporary political philosophy and associated particularly with the work of John Rawls.

The Mobile and the World

Abstract: It was wonderful to attend this special event of the Harvard Forum. For those of us who do not undertake any systematic effort to keep track of the growing world of technology, coming to these forums—this is the second one here—is like attending periodic refresher courses on “what’s happening” in the use of technology, especially information technology. And all this comes effortlessly to us, as it is nicely arranged from Canada—a kind of periodic Canadian nudge to wake up sleepy Harvard academics. And for this, we have every reason to be grateful. I particularly thank the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) for supporting this event. I am also very glad that my friend, David Malone, who now heads it, is himself here—I take it that this is not merely because David wants to wake up the Harvard academics, but also because he knows that this event has a widespread world audience, which makes me rather nervous! Perhaps I should also seize this occasion to express my appreciation of the excellent, and far oung, activities of the IDRC, which I have observed and admired over the years across the world—not least in South Asia. It is particularly impressive that the IDRC has been able to provide support for many nonmainstream projects, which are often neglected by the more traditionalist support agencies. Many of these innovative ventures, which do not get the attention of the media, and which are not heralded and greeted—at least not initially—on the front pages of the newspapers, have actually ended up doing a lot of good in our badly organized world. It is not merely the size of the budget, but also the type of projects, that determine the overall effectiveness of supportive activities—and the IDRC has a record here that should surely be a reason for great pride. I know that a lot of people are particularly interested in the growing reach and impact of mobile telephones. Let me say here that this is a aeld in which much of the good work has been done by private initiatives— indeed, often enough, by simple business initiatives. This is not invariably the case with many other departures, as help from the state or the nonproat NGOs is rather necessary. Indeed, many of the supportive activities of the IDRC have been aimed at good nonproat initiatives that need support. It is interesting to ask this question: When do for-proat business initiatives work out very well—and rather automatically—for the beneat of the public at large? To give an old-fashioned answer to this question, which is not a bad starting point, for-proat initiatives can be often market-friendly when the impact on others is positive, rather than negative. A telephone owned by a person helps others to call the person up, as well as to receive calls from him or her, and so the increased freedom of the phone owner adds to the freedom of others. In contrast, a gun owned by one can easily reduce the freedom of others, if the gun is pointed at them—or could be. Many goods have little impact on others, as a shirt owned by one does not, typically, have much of an impact on the lives of others. In contrast, a phone

Primary schooling in West Bengal

Abstract: With his Nobel Prize award money, Amartya Sen set up the Pratichi Trust which carries out research, advocacy and experimental projects in basic education, primary health care, and women’s development in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Professor Sen himself took active interest in this work—helping set the agenda, looking at the evidence from research, and engaging in advocacy. The present article is based on Sen’s introduction to a Pratichi study of primary education in West Bengal, released in December 2009, which compares the results of surveys conducted at an interval of almost a decade. Sen’s significant findings and insightful observations and recommendations have relevance much beyond West Bengal.

Identité et violence

Abstract: Amartya Sen, who is an Indian economist and philosopher, wrote this book from a series of conferences he gave at the Boston University. In Identity and Violence, Sen criticizes the advocates, as well as many of the opponents, of the theory of a clash of civilizations. He reminds us of the dangers and irrelevance of reducing one's own identity to a religious dimension, and refutes the validity of any reasoning based on the identification of distinct civilization blocks. Last but not least, he defends for everybody a right to cultural freedom.