The great philosophers of the past who wrote so beautifully - Rousseau, John Stuart Mill - had to write beautifully because they had to sell their work to journals. They had to sell books to the general public because they… — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share Image
It's a good thing that we're protected by tenure and academic freedom, but we should realize that it creates a risk of getting cut off. Scholars should write, at least sometimes, for the general public. — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share Image
I think that's what we really need in America, for people to hear each other. And I think philosophy could do a little bit… — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
If you really do want to increase women's status, you could focus on just that, but you'd probably better focus also on women's education.… — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
We are lucky in the United States to have our liberal arts system. In most countries, if you go to university, you have to… — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
Life is about more than earning a living, and if you're not in the habit of thinking about it, you can end up middle-aged… — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
Our emotional life maps our incompleteness: A creature without any needs would never have reasons for fear, or grief, or hope, or anger. — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
I do think there's a lot of bad writing, and I worry about that in philosophy. I worry about it even more in literary… — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
With the rise of capitalism, it became more obvious that people pursue individual self-interest. The great nationalist in Italy, Giuseppe Mazzini, a wonderful philosopher,… — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
The EU might have become a large federal nation. But they would have had to do things differently. Number one, they would've had to… — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
As human beings, we ought to be vulnerable. We shouldn't try to say that we can be self-sufficient or do everything that's necessary for… — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
Disgust relies on moral obtuseness. It is possible to view another human being as a slimy slug or a piece of revolting trash only… — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
The thing that I find so bad about anger is the desire for payback. Of course, it is very human to wish for revenge.… — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
The GDP approach doesn't address many aspects of human life: health, education, political liberty, religious liberty, employment opportunities. And these are not all that… — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
Knowledge is no guarantee of good behavior, but ignorance is a virtual guarantee of bad behavior. — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
Today, I think, the state of philosophizing about democracy is very healthy. It bridges political science and philosophy, as it should. — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
“We might say that there can be pity in its full-fledged form only where there is also mercy for self: for the self engulfed… — Martha C. Nussbaum Copy Share
