Semantiken der Befähigung

„Ability“ or „Capability“ has become a pivotal concept in recent decades both in political philosophy and in the debates on welfare policy. The term itself is, however, shrouded in ambiguity.
This book seeks to clarify the different meanings of capability and to evaluate its practicability. The author therefore analyses the well-known Capabilities Approach of Martha C. Nussbaum and Amartya Sen, focusing, in particular, on the reception of the Capabilities Approach in Christian Social Ethics. The compatibility of both the Capabilities Approach and Christian Ethics with liberalism is of central concern: Can they establish a social-ethical „liberal minimum" that ensures the freedom of each and every individual and overcomes their paternalistic tendencies?