Photo: Robin Holland (website) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Martha Nussbaum was born on May 6, 1947 in New York City, New York, United States and is credited as a philosopher, writer and classical scholar. That puts Martha Nussbaum at 79 years old in 2026. Education on record includes Harvard University. Awards on record include Guggenheim Fellowship (1980), Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences (2012), PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay (1991) and 5 more.
My Take
Reading Martha Nussbaum always sharpens my mind and warms my chest at once. A Harvard-trained philosopher born in New York in 1947, she moves with rare ease across ancient Greek and Roman thought, political philosophy, feminism, and animal rights. Honored with the Kyoto Prize and the Princess of Asturias Award, she could rest on prestige, yet what I value is how she grounds dense theory in human dignity. Her capabilities approach reframes ethics as a philosophy of compassion, and her willingness to take emotions seriously feels deeply honest. I find this kind of warm, rigorous intelligence genuinely admirable.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Martha Nussbaum
- Name (Japanese)
- マーサ・ヌスバウム
- Reading
- まーさ・ぬすばうむ
- Born
- May 6, 1947 (age 79)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Boar
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Occupation
- philosopher / writer / classical scholar / university teacher
2. Background
- University
- Harvard University
Awards & achievements
- 1980 Guggenheim Fellowship
- 2012 Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences
- 1991 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay
- Harvard Centennial Medal
- 2002 Grawemeyer Awards
- 2012 Albertus-Magnus professorate
- 2016 Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy
- Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-20
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Martha Nussbaum born?
Born May 6, 1947 (age 79).
Where is Martha Nussbaum from?
Martha Nussbaum is from New York City, New York, United States.
What does Martha Nussbaum do?
Martha Nussbaum works as philosopher, writer, classical scholar, university teacher.
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