Abstract: Nussbaum takes on the Western and non-Western claim that women are too emotional to be fully rational, arguing that when an adequate conception of emotion is developed, the opposition between emotion and reason will be recognized as incoherent and emotions will be seen as Adam Smith saw them—as essential ingredients in rational ethical judgement. Nussbaum contends that emotions are best understood as forms of recognition of neediness and dependency regarding the most important things in life, and are therefore as appropriate and rational as are those recognitions and the beliefs that support them.

Keywords: dependency, emotions, gender justice, impartiality, neediness, rationality, recognition, Adam Smith,