  People are increasingly subject to algorithmic decisions, and it is generally
agreed that end-users should be provided an explanation or rationale for these
decisions. There are different purposes that explanations can have, such as
increasing user trust in the system or allowing users to contest the decision.
One specific purpose that is gaining more traction is algorithmic recourse. We
first propose that recourse should be viewed as a recommendation problem, not
an explanation problem. Then, we argue that the capability approach provides
plausible and fruitful ethical standards for recourse. We illustrate by
considering the case of diversity constraints on algorithmic recourse. Finally,
we discuss the significance and implications of adopting the capability
approach for algorithmic recourse research.
