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Nussbaum on Objectification Explained

Objectification is the process of treating an abstract concept as if it were a concrete physical object. Philosopher Martha Nussbaum identified several factors that constitute objectification, including treating the concept as an instrument for one's own purposes, denying its autonomy, treating it as interchangeable, and denying concern for its feelings. While objectification is often discussed in relation to the sexualization of women, consenting sexual partners cannot truly be objectified unless ulterior motives like popularity or financial gain are involved.

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115 views1 page

Nussbaum on Objectification Explained

Objectification is the process of treating an abstract concept as if it were a concrete physical object. Philosopher Martha Nussbaum identified several factors that constitute objectification, including treating the concept as an instrument for one's own purposes, denying its autonomy, treating it as interchangeable, and denying concern for its feelings. While objectification is often discussed in relation to the sexualization of women, consenting sexual partners cannot truly be objectified unless ulterior motives like popularity or financial gain are involved.

Uploaded by

Reymond Turbanada
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Objectification

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and removed. (April 2010)
Look up objectification in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Objectification is the process by which an abstract concept is treated as if it is a concrete thing or physical
object. In this sense the term is synonym to reification.

Philosopher Martha Nussbaum[1] has argued that something is objectified if any of the following factors is
present:

 Instrumentality – if the thing is treated as a tool for one's own purposes;


 Denial of autonomy – if the thing is treated as if lacking in agency or self-determination;
 Inertness – if the thing is treated as if lacking in agency;
 Ownership – if the thing is treated as if owned by another;
 Fungibility – if the thing is treated as if interchangeable;
 Violability – if the thing is treated as if permissible to smash;
 denial of subjectivity – if the thing is treated as if there is no need to show concern for the 'object's'
feelings and experiences.

In popular usage the term has a sexual connotation and refers to using a woman as a tool for erotic pleasure.
However, this application is a misnomer as it is technically impossible to "objectify" a willing, consenting
partner in such a way. To qualify as objectification would require ulterior motives such as popularity, financial
gain, revenge etc for which the consenting partner is then considered "used".

[edit] See also

 Description
 Sexual objectification
 Dehumanization
 Edward Said's Imagined geographies

[edit] References

1. ^ Martha C. Nussbaum, “Objectification”, Philosophy and Public Affairs, 24 (4), pp. 279–83.
OCLC 484757897

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