The Faces of Intellectual Disability: Philosophical Reflections

by Licia Carlson

In a challenge to current thinking about cognitive impairment, this book explores what it means to treat people with intellectual disabilities in an ethical manner. Reassessing philosophical views of intellectual disability, Licia Carlson shows how we can affirm the dignity and worth of intellectually disabled people first by ending comparisons to nonhuman animals and then by confronting our fears and discomforts. Carlson presents the complex history of ideas about cognitive disability, the treatment of intellectually disabled people, and social and cultural reactions to them. Sensitive and clearly argued, this book offers new insights on recent trends in disability studies and philosophy.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Disability

286 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Blair Hodges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conceptually, this book is a 4-star, but I considered giving it 3 because Carlson's articulation is a bit jargon-heavy. This is to be expected in a philosophy book these days, of course. Carlson examines the history of how people have conceived of intellectual disability. By tracing the metaphors people have employed she shows how the disabled people have served various purposes in philosophical discourse, but to the end of marginalization or exploitation. There is the face of the beast, the face of suffering, and a few other faces. Her history work is mostly derivative but her philosophical analysis is solid. More importantly, it is suggestive of future work. Her book will be useful chiefly to those wishing to avoid stepping on landmines in their own work. Very well done.

[Frank Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides valuable insight into the ins and outs of how we consider intellectual disability. Issues such as the social definition of disability, power relations, suffering, and the history of institutions related to intellectual disability are covered. Foucault informs part of the discussion. This is an important read if you participate in deciding whether someone has a disability.

[Zoi Abrazi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that author's introduction describe how philosophers talk or completely ignore mentally retarded. "This book is not a personal narrative, but I cannot leave the autobiographical behind without mentioning a recurrent theme I encountered while working in this rather anomalous philosophical field. One of the first questions I am often asked by other philosophers when I tell them about my interest in intellectual disability is, "Oh, do you have a disabled family member?" This question might not have struck me as particularly odd had it not been asked so consistently. I became increasingly irritated by the assumption that seemed embedded in the question (though I don't mean to suggest that everyone who asked me necessarily subscribed to this): the only reason I would have an interest in this topic is because someone in my family has an intellectual disability".

Licia Carlson. The Faces of Intellectual Disability: Philosophical Reflections (p. 2). Kindle Edition.

[Hind · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant volume with the main aim of bringing the topic of intellectual disability to the forefront of philosophical debate and inquiry. From the history of the institution, to the more recent philosophical debates that increasingly seem to push the intellectually disabled to the margins of humanity, Carlson tackles several difficult topics delicately, eloquently and compellingly.