The quality of life : a study prepared for the World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER) of the United Nations University

This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO licence. It is free to read at Oxford Scholarship Online and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. The idea of the quality of life is central to economic and social assessment and also to public policy, social legislation, and community programs. However, the commonly used indicators of economic success such as per capita income are at best crude measures of the quality of life. There is a strong need for a systematic exploration of the content, reach, and relevance of the concept of the quality of life, and ways of making it concrete and usable. In this collection of essays, some leading economists and philosophers rise to that challenge and provide a wide-ranging investigation. The essays include examinations of recent attempts to replace incomes and utilities by the concept of capability and also an exploration of the classic Aristotelian accounts of human flourishing, which provide insights into capability-based assessment of the quality of life. Some underlying methodological problems are also examined, including cultural relativism and utility as a measure of advantage. Possibilities of application are discussed in the context of important practical problems, such as correcting gender-based inequalities, determining medical priorities, and promoting living standards. The overall result is a major contribution to the understanding and use of the idea of the quality of life. The Idea Of The Quality Of Life Is Central To Economic And Social Assessment And Also To Public Policy, Social Legislation, And Community Programmes. However, The Commonly Used Indicators Of Economic Success Such As Per Capita Income Are At Best Crude Measures Of The Quality Of Life. There Is A Strong Need For A Systematic Exploration Of The Content, Reach, And Relevance Of The Concept Of The Quality Of Life, And Ways Of Making It Concrete And Usable. In This Collection Of Essays, Some Leading Economists And Philosophers Rise To That Challenge And Provide A Wide-ranging Investigation. The Essays Include Examination Of Recent Attempts To Replace Incomes And Utilities By The Concept Of Capability And Also Exploration Of The Classic Aristotelian Accounts Of Human Flourishing, Which Provide Insights Into Capability-based Assessment Of The Quality Of Life. Some Underlying Methodological Problems Are Also Examined, Including Cultural Relativism And Utility As A Measure Of Advantage. Possibilities Of Application Are Discussed In The Context Of Important Practical Problems, Such As Correcting Gender-based Inequalities, Determining Medical Priorities, And Promoting Living Standards. The Overall Result Is A Major Contribution To The Understanding And Use Of The Idea Of The Quality Of Life.--jacket. Equality Of What? : On Welfare, Goods, And Capabilities / G.a. Cohen -- Capability And Well-being / Amartya Sen -- Commentators On Cohen And Sen : Christine M. Korsgaard, Wulf Gaertner -- Descriptions Of Inequality : The Swedish Approach To Welfare Research / Robert Erikson -- Having, Loving, Being : An Alternative To The Swedish Model Of Welfare Research / Erik Allardt -- Quality Of Life Measures In Health Care And Medical Ethics / Dan Brock -- Objectivity And The Science-ethics Distinction / Hilary Putnam -- Objectivity And Social Meaning / Michael Walzer -- Value, Desire, And Quality Of Life / Thomas Scanlon -- (cont.) Explanation And Practical Reason / Charles Taylor -- Non-relative Virtues : An Aristotelian Approach / Martha Nussbaum -- Women And The Quality Of Life : Two Norms Or One? / Julia Annas -- Justice, Gender, And International Boundaries / Onora O'neill -- Distributing Health : The Allocation Of Resources By An International Agency / John E. Roemer -- The Relativity Of The Welfare Concept / B.m.s. Van Praag -- Pluralism And The Standard Of Living / Paul Seabright -- Life-style And The Standard Of Living / Christopher Bliss. Edited By Martha Nussbaum And Amartya Sen. A Study Prepared For The World Institute For Development Economics Research (wider) Of The United Nations University. Papers Presented At A Conference Sponsored By The World Institute For Development Economics Research. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict Contents 8 List of contributors 10 Introduction 14 PART I: LIVES AND CAPABILITIES 20 Equality of What? On Welfare, Goods, and Capabilities 22 Capability and Well-Being 43 Commentators on Cohen and Sen 67 Descriptions of Inequality: The Swedish Approach to Welfare Research 80 Commentator 97 Having, Loving, Being: An Alternative to the Swedish Model of Welfare Research 101 Quality of Life Measures in Health Care and Medical Ethics 108 Commentator 146 PART II: TRADITIONS, RELATIVISM, AND OBJECTIVITY 154 Objectivity and the Science-Ethics Distinction 156 Commentator 171 Objectivity and Social Meaning 178 Commentator 191 Value, Desire, and Quality of Life 198 Commentator 214 Explanation and Practical Reason 221 Commentator 245 Non-Relative Virtues: An Aristotelian Approach 255 Commentator 283 PART III: WOMEN'S LIVES AND GENDER JUSTICE 290 Women and the Quality of Life: Two Norms or One? 292 Commentator 310 Justice, Gender, and International Boundaries 316 Commentator 337 PART IV: POLICY ASSESSMENT AND WELFARE ECONOMICS 350 Distributing Health: The Allocation of Resources by an International Agency 352 Commentator 371 The Relativity of the Welfare Concept 375 Commentator 399 Pluralism and the Standard of Living 406 Commentator 423 Life-Style and the Standard of Living 430 Commentator 450 Index 458 Index of Names 458 A 458 B 458 C 458 D 458 E 458 F 458 G 459 H 459 J 459 K 459 L 459 M 460 N 460 O 460 P 460 Q 460 R 460 S 460 T 461 U 461 V 461 W 461 X 461 Y 461 Z 461 Index of Subjects 462 A 462 B 462 C 462 D 462 E 463 F 463 G 463 H 463 I 463 J 464 L 464 M 464 N 464 O 464 P 464 Q 465 R 465 S 465 T 466 U 466 V 466 W 466 This book addresses issues of defining and measuring the quality of life. Recent developments in the philosophical definition of well-being are discussed and linked to practical issues such as the delivery of health care, and the assessment of women's quality of life. Leading philosophers and economists have contributed to this volume to consider the problems the subject raises. This volume reflects the growing need for interdisciplinary work as economists become more sensitive to the importance of facing fundamental philosophical questions and of the importance of linking their theoretical enquiries to an understanding of complex practical problems. Contributors: E. Allardt, J. Annas, C. Bliss, S. Bok, D. Brock, G. A. Cohen, R. Erikson, W. Gaertner, J. Griffin, S. Hurley, C. M. Korsgaard, L. Kruger, M. C. Nussbaum, O. O'Neill, S. Osmani, D. Parfit, H. Putnam, R. A. Putnam, J. Roemer, T. Scanlon, P. Seabright, A. Sen, C. Taylor, M. Valdes, B. M. S. van Praag, M. Walzer, B.-C. Ysander Addressing issues of defining and measuring the quality of life, this title examines developments in the philosophical definition of well-being and links them to practical issues such as the delivery of health care and the assessment of women's quality of life. This volume gathers the thoughts of reputed academics in economics, social policy, philosophy, and the social sciences as they scrutinise contentions regarding quality of life and the way in which it is, can be, and ought to be measured