Philosophy and Disability

Latest news of Philosophy Now

Moderators: AMod, iMod

Post Reply
RachelAnn
Posts: 190
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:32 pm
Location: Troy, NY

Philosophy and Disability

Post by RachelAnn »

Rick,
Might you consider a re-hash?
This is of personal interest -and Philosophy Now addressed it in the past:
"Overview: Philosophy and Disability", PHILOSOPHY NOW, Dec 200/Jan 2001, Issue 30
Anita Silvers from SFSU wrote the article.
User avatar
Psychonaut
Posts: 465
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:40 pm
Location: Merseyside, UK

Post by Psychonaut »

I agree, an issue on this would be good.

Sauggestions for topics are the recent tension between autistic people and autistic advocacy groups, defining disability, the existential issues of disability.

One interesting point I remember hearing was that while the vast majority of people think that the loss of, say, their legs would lead them into despairing depression, statistic bear out that most people cope well.

Oh, and referencing the works of famed neurologist Dr.Oliver Sacks wouldn't go amiss :P By reference to certain neurological conditions we can develop deep insights into the nature of humanity in general and our personal identity. Observation of people who are missing proprioception, for example, gives us insight into a subtle sense fundamental to our daily lives.
amateurphilosophynerd
Posts: 205
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:07 am
Contact:

I agree but we ought to tackle problems of identity

Post by amateurphilosophynerd »

perceived and stigma in philosophical terms. Given the prevalence of disability in Society, as the Government is mighty keen to see people like us enter employment; it might in the light of that,be wise to also view the ''Us and Them'' continuum ( or not as the case maybe ), what dya think?
philofra
Posts: 114
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 12:43 pm

Post by philofra »

This issue on disability might be incorporated into the issue I suggested about architecture and urban living. Today's building designs have to incorporate designs for disabilities, like wheelchair access and special elevators in stores and transit terminals. The environment in buildings can also pose as a disability in that it can cause breathing problems, making designers and manufactures more environmentally conscious about the materials they use.
amateurphilosophynerd
Posts: 205
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:07 am
Contact:

I think this smacks of Platonic exclusion

Post by amateurphilosophynerd »

I think this smacks of Platonic exclusion. My mum told me how he had disabled people to die on the hills. The Symposium makes scary listening for people like me who are marginalised by platonic youth and platonic Two Point Four.
Why aren't Philosophers more critical or even more self-aware as this affects them too.??? :shock:
RachelAnn
Posts: 190
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:32 pm
Location: Troy, NY

Post by RachelAnn »

One cannot "see" my physical disabilty, because it is a TBI -- traumatic brain injury. It is medically, scientifically proven and therefore justified satisfactorily to gov't. assistances for the disabled. How I appear is physically 'normal - except for the bad hair days. People see me no wheel chair, no crutches, no seeing-eye dog, no hearing aid, no missing limbs, etc. and perceive nothing amiss.
amateurphilosophynerd
Posts: 205
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:07 am
Contact:

Invisible disabilities are NOT percieved in Society as

Post by amateurphilosophynerd »

visible. It amazes me that Society could be so dumb when Disability is so universal a phenomenon.
User avatar
Psychonaut
Posts: 465
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 10:40 pm
Location: Merseyside, UK

Post by Psychonaut »

I think I am going to start a couple of threads about disability and philosophy..

Defining Disability

Big Pharma wants your soul

Autism is a maladaptation?

I do hope that Rick takes up this idea, if not devoting a whole issue then at least some space to it.. it is close to a lot of people's hearts; I would be surprised to find someone who isn't close to someone who is disabled.

I would be more than happy to try my hand at a contribution..
amateurphilosophynerd
Posts: 205
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:07 am
Contact:

philosophy (and theory) is

Post by amateurphilosophynerd »

in adequete to grasp the realities of disability and mental illness. Philosophy and it's companion social theory need to grasp the nettle. Perhaps a mainstream move would faccilitate a liberation of life chances theory in practice for the marginalised minorities but such a move would threaten those who devalue mentally ill populations, and those of disability who are unable to access their ability talents etc.
i think such a project would require political will, raised consciousness, a more egalitarian approach more rights based that would sweep across working and workless populations.
one can see screwed up philosophers (philosphers behaving badly article PN) who cannot percieve their own brokenness in order to help themselves despite being mighty scholars. For any liberation to take place there would need to be changes.
i am probably talking out of my arse but that is not the intention.
so a debate like this should lead to more pioneering and visionary territory.
amateurphilosophynerd
Posts: 205
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:07 am
Contact:

if i was rick lewis

Post by amateurphilosophynerd »

I would trip the light fantastic and take an pioneering visionary approach to this topic!!!!
chaz wyman
Posts: 5304
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2010 7:31 pm

Re: Philosophy and Disability

Post by chaz wyman »

BeyondUs wrote:
Psychonaut wrote:I think I am going to start a couple of threads about disability and philosophy..



Defining Disability



Big Pharma wants your soul



Autism is a maladaptation?



I do hope that Rick takes up this idea, if not devoting a whole issue then at least some space to it.. it is close to a lot of people's hearts; I would be surprised to find someone who isn't close to someone who is disabled.



I would be more than happy to try my hand at a contribution..

Well aware that this post dates back to 2008, but I found this topic rather interesting. If you're wondering, I'm writing a paper on mental illness/disability and its effects on society (and vice versa) and one of our assignments is to observe a conversation with other people's viewpoints. This conversation couldn't be more perfect! Heck, those sub-conversations couldn't be more perfect.

Anyway, I think it's interesting how mental illness is viewed in our society. There are different classifications of mental illness and within that, there are different classifications of who is mentally slow or intelligent. Autism is tricky because there's a wide spectrum of classifications and attributes. Autistic people range from highly functional to very severe (borderlline dyslexia, etc). Personally, I think the best person to really classify illnesses is a psychologist/psychiatrist (there's a whole directory of them on angies list). What I would like to know is how one CLASSIFIES a mental illness as a full-fledged disability.

Thanks for letting me ramble, guys! =D
To what degree do you think it is the medicalisation of the mental that causes problems rather than the mental idiosyncrasies of those deemed problematic by the medicalisation of the mental?
Post Reply