Martha Nussbaum

One of the most prominent American philosophers of our time. Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago. Known for the Capabilities Approach (developed with Amartya Sen), for her work on the emotions, and for books that speak to a broad public: Upheavals of Thought, Fragility of Goodness, Not for Profit, and The Monarchy of Fear, among many others. Recipient of numerous honorary degrees and the Berggruen Prize.

Connection

Pauline Kleingeld knows Nussbaum through her philosophical work.

• Pauline Kleingeld and Joel Anderson attended a party she hosted in Hyde Park, which was attended by her then-partner Cass Sunstein. They had a long conversation with Judge Richard Posner. Martha cooked an amazing vegatarian buffet herself.

Herb frequently saw her during lunch at the Hyde Park restaurant Piccolo Mundo.

Why Herbert Would Be Delighted

Nussbaum's engagement with the humanities, human dignity, and the moral emotions maps directly onto Herbert's pastoral and theological concerns. Her work on vulnerability, grief, and what it means to live well has a natural resonance with the pastoral care tradition.

Cross-Connections

• Jürgen Habermas – both major figures in moral and political philosophy; Pauline Kleingeld has connections to both
• Hans-Georg Gadamer – both connected through Pauline Kleingeld's philosophical world