Consciousness- raising and the human capabilities

The capabilities approach is a list of capabilities based on an individual’s ability to ‘function in a fully human way.’ This strand brings the approach closest to a narration of the various virtues of which only a human being is capable of, and not an animal or a beast. These virtues are essential for ethical progress, a move which also alienates itself from the tradition, different types of which hamper the development of the human being. Virtues are important for ethical progress and are therefore accountable for a conception of the human good or human flourishing. A critique of local tradition forms an important part of this very virtue-ethics position, and an approach aimed at presenting a critique of these traditions has to depart from this position, if at all it wants to do away with religious fanaticism, boulders that come in way of gender parity and improvement etc.  A clearer example closest to Suparna and Sarah’s approach is an analysis by  Nussbaum, on SEWA women who gained confidence after watching videos of women doing things which they are otherwise forbidden to do. As she says, “the experience of watching these videos helps them make choices for their future , also increasing their sense of possibility and worth.”