1 An Epistemology of Moral Human Development A New Agenda for Development Research and Governance? Johannes M. Waldmüller IHEID, Geneva
2 Content: Introduction The Human Quest for Well-Being: The Case of Capabilities Shortcomings in the Capability Approach: Towards an Alternative Epistemology as a Premise for Human Development Human Dignity Transcending the Individual? Moral Development and its Insights for Epistemology Quality Perception as Non-Dual Category of Epistemology From a Refined Epistemology towards a Fuller Account of Moral Development (The Human Rights Indicators Project – The Pilot Case of Ecuador)
3 The Human Quest for Well-Being: The Case of Capabilities
4 Wimmers Idea of Polylogues: Encompassing intercultural and multidimensional communication as a rejection of absolute truth (even as ideal)
Source: Bas de Gaay Fortman (2004): In: From Warfare to Welfare. Human Security in a Southern African Context, Assen: Royal Van Gorcum: pp The Golden Triangle of Human Dignity Human Dignity Human Rights Human Security Human Development
6 Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Growth: Level 1: Preconventional Morality Stage 1. Obedience and Punishment Orientation Stage 2. Individualism and Exchange Level II: Conventional Morality Stage 3. Good Interpersonal Relationships Stage 4. Maintaining the Social Order Level III: Postconventional Morality Stage 5. Social Contract and Individual Rights Stage 6: Universal Principles
7 M. Nussbaums List of Necessary Capabilities: 1) Life 2) Bodily health 3) Bodily integrity 4) Senses, imagination and thought 5) Emotions 6) Practical reason 7) Affiliation 8) Other species 9) Play 10) Control over one's environment.
8 Towards a Fuller Account of Human Development: Applied Moral Epistemology: by using (dynamic and static) Quality as value perception Capabilities Functionings (reflecting value perceptions?) Quality asks about degrees: to which extent are certain human rights/basic needs necessary for a fruitful flourishing of quality (and perception thereof)?
9 Development as Quality instead of Development as Freedom (Sen, 1999): the overarching goal for the development and the human rights movement in terms of global governance?
10 The ongoing UN OHCR human rights indicator project – Ecuadors pilot case: A new way of conducting development research?
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