Cartesian dualism and disabled phenomenology
In this paper, I critically examine phenomenological disability studies' critique of so-called ‘Cartesian Dualism’. I argue that it is not a metaphysical divide between mental and extended substance that disability studies must overcome, but rather a more fundamental understanding of world unde...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Stockholm University Press
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research |
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| Online Access: | https://www.sjdr.se/articles/316 |
| _version_ | 1827840594274156544 |
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| author | Thomas Abrams |
| author_facet | Thomas Abrams |
| author_sort | Thomas Abrams |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this paper, I critically examine phenomenological disability studies' critique of so-called ‘Cartesian Dualism’. I argue that it is not a metaphysical divide between mental and extended substance that disability studies must overcome, but rather a more fundamental understanding of world understood only in terms of substance, what Martin Heidegger calls the ‘ontology of objective presence’. This view of ‘the world’ passes over being-in-the-world and the problem of meaning. After outlining phenomenological disability studies' objection to Descartes' legacy, I critically contrast the mind–body problem with the substance problem, suggesting the latter is crucial, and the former derivative. I conclude by discussing the contours of a disabled phenomenology: one that takes physical and mental difference as the basis for a theoretical project, rather than another site for phenomenological investigation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:36:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-902d8beddf03448cb45b003c94199e5c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1501-7419 1745-3011 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T07:36:26Z |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | Stockholm University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-902d8beddf03448cb45b003c94199e5c2023-09-02T21:31:04ZengStockholm University PressScandinavian Journal of Disability Research1501-74191745-30112015-01-0118211812810.1080/15017419.2014.995219246Cartesian dualism and disabled phenomenologyThomas Abrams0Department of Social Justice Education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, 252 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1V6, CanadaIn this paper, I critically examine phenomenological disability studies' critique of so-called ‘Cartesian Dualism’. I argue that it is not a metaphysical divide between mental and extended substance that disability studies must overcome, but rather a more fundamental understanding of world understood only in terms of substance, what Martin Heidegger calls the ‘ontology of objective presence’. This view of ‘the world’ passes over being-in-the-world and the problem of meaning. After outlining phenomenological disability studies' objection to Descartes' legacy, I critically contrast the mind–body problem with the substance problem, suggesting the latter is crucial, and the former derivative. I conclude by discussing the contours of a disabled phenomenology: one that takes physical and mental difference as the basis for a theoretical project, rather than another site for phenomenological investigation.https://www.sjdr.se/articles/316Cartesian dualismHeideggerphenomenologysubjectivity |
| spellingShingle | Thomas Abrams Cartesian dualism and disabled phenomenology Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research Cartesian dualism Heidegger phenomenology subjectivity |
| title | Cartesian dualism and disabled phenomenology |
| title_full | Cartesian dualism and disabled phenomenology |
| title_fullStr | Cartesian dualism and disabled phenomenology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cartesian dualism and disabled phenomenology |
| title_short | Cartesian dualism and disabled phenomenology |
| title_sort | cartesian dualism and disabled phenomenology |
| topic | Cartesian dualism Heidegger phenomenology subjectivity |
| url | https://www.sjdr.se/articles/316 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT thomasabrams cartesiandualismanddisabledphenomenology |