An Introduction to the Capability Approach

What does it really mean to live a dignified life? In this premiere episode of Bookshelves & Brains, host Nishanth Araveti—philosophy and neuroscience student at CUNY—unpacks the capability approach, a revolutionary framework by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and philosopher Martha Nussbaum that redefines how we think about justice, equality, and human development.

Instead of asking what people own, this approach asks what they can actually do with what they have. From famine in Bengal to educational access in rural India, we explore how this lens reshapes economics, ethics, and global policy—from the Human Development Index to climate justice and digital equity.

Whether you're new to Sen and Nussbaum or eager to rethink progress beyond GDP, this episode offers a powerful, accessible introduction to one of the most transformative ideas in contemporary thought.

🎧 Tune in to discover why real freedom starts with asking the right questions.