function(cap, value) {
				var refCaps = arguments[2] || caps;

				// if cap var is a comma-separated list of caps, convert it to object (key/value)
				if (Basic.typeOf(cap) === 'string' && Basic.typeOf(value) === 'undefined') {
					cap = Runtime.parseCaps(cap);
				}

				if (Basic.typeOf(cap) === 'object') {
					for (var key in cap) {
						if (!this.can(key, cap[key], refCaps)) {
							return false;
						}
					}
					return true;
				}

				// check the individual cap
				if (Basic.typeOf(refCaps[cap]) === 'function') {
					return refCaps[cap].call(this, value);
				} else {
					return (value === refCaps[cap]);
				}
			}