Overview

This collection of original essays, from both established scholars and newcomers, takes up a recent debate in philosophy, sociology, and disability studies on whether disability is intrinsically a harm that lowers a person's quality of life.

Historical Context

While this is a new question in disability scholarship, it also touches on one of the oldest philosophical questions: what is the good human life? Historically, philosophers have not been interested in the topic of disability, and when they are it is usually only in relation to questions such as euthanasia, abortion, or the moral status of disabled people.

Disability and Moral Philosophy

Consequently disability has been either ignored by moral and political philosophers or simply equated with a bad human life, a life not worth living.

Focus and Implications

This collection takes up the challenge that disability poses to basic questions of political philosophy and bioethics, among others, by focusing on fundamental issues and practical implications of the relationship between disability and the good human life.