A Theory of Needs Revisited

Heller, Ágnes

doi:10.1177/072551369303500103

Cited by 31 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…Indeed, variations in concrete specifications are down to more than just culture: needs vary in line with physiological differences (such as age or sex), economic factors (those with strenuous jobs require, for instance, different nutrition), religious belief or moral principle (Muslims and vegans might need different diets), and so on. To reach a sufficiently high level of generality, concrete needs must be abstracted from particular circumstances and grouped with other, similar needs in clusters which ascend in increasing levels of generality (Doyal & Gough, 1991, p. 40;Heller, 1993;Reader, 2007, pp. 79-81).…”

Section: Human Needs Cultural Diversity and Abstractionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Basic human needs: abstraction, indeterminacy and the political account of need

Boss

2021

Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosoph

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The basic human needs approach contends that the needs which matter -the basic needs -are human needs. This article conducts a critical examination of that approach, and finds it wanting. My claim is that the abstract, indeterminate nature of human needs makes it impossible to establish their normative priority (or 'basicness'). I begin by showing why human needs are necessarily abstract. This follows from the standard response given by basic human needs theorists to the problem of cultural diversity: to avoid favouring one way of life over others, and to plausibly apply universally, human needs must be specified at a high level of generality. The problem, however, is that this abstract specification undermines the capacity of basic human needs to offer guidance in concrete contexts. The approach thus requires some account of the properties which shape the concrete specification of basic human needs. However, the special status thus afforded to those properties (what I call 'specifiers') undermines the arguments deployed to establish the basicness of human needs. Having rejected the basic human needs approach, I finish by sketching an alternative: namely, the political account of needs.

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Section: Human Needs Cultural Diversity and Abstractionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Basic human needs: abstraction, indeterminacy and the political account of need

Boss

2021

Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosoph

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“…This distorts the political decision process, which is already characterized by lobbying and deliberately created and implanted perspectives. Agnes Heller calls ours a 'dissatisfied society' and this is an organized dissatisfaction (Heller, 1993).…”

Section: Organized Dissatisfaction -And Beyondmentioning

confidence: 99%

The consumption of our discontent

Sanne

2005

Bus Strat Env

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The concept of 'sustainable consumption' is gaining interest as a key factor of sustainable development. This evokes issues of vested interests in continued economic growth versus change in lifestyle towards a less consumptive balance of work and leisure. It is shown that such a development is attractive to many people. It may still be stalled by various interest groups who actually thrive on an 'organized dissatisfaction'.

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“…Por outro lado, a concepção espessa de emancipação implica, não apenas a sobrevivência humana mas também uma prosperidade -no dizer de Agnes Heller -guiada por necessidades radicais. Segundo esta autora, as necessidades radicais são de tipo qualitativo e permanecem inquantificáveis; não podem ser satisfeitas num mundo baseado na subordinação e na sobre-ordenação; e impelem as pessoas para ideias e práticas que abolem a subordinação e a sobre-ordenação (Heller, 1976(Heller, , 1993. Embora a distinção entre concepções de emancipação social finas e espessas se possa fazer em termos genéricos, os tipos de objectivos abrangidos por um ou outro dos dois termos da distinção só podem ser determinados em contextos específicos.…”

Section: Não Obstante As Diferenças Profundas Entre a Legalidade Demounclassified

Can Law Be Emancipatory?

Santos¹

2003

rccs

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BOAVENTURA DE SOUSA SANTOS Poderá o direito ser emancipatório? 1 Depois de definido o pano de fundo histórico-político da pergunta que adopta como título, o texto começa por analisar a situação presente, debruçando-se, em seguida, sobre as condições que tornam viável uma resposta prudentemente afirmativa a essa pergunta e concluindo por uma especificação de algumas das áreas em que uma relação entre o direito e a emancipação social se afigura mais urgentemente necessária e possível.

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A Theory of Needs Revisited

Cited by 31 publications

References 0 publications

Basic human needs: abstraction, indeterminacy and the political account of need

Basic human needs: abstraction, indeterminacy and the political account of need

The consumption of our discontent

Can Law Be Emancipatory?

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