Moving through capacity space: mapping disability and enhancement

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Philosophy of Medicine
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Contemporary debates on disability and enhancement lack comprehensive analysis.
• Existing literature often neglects a broad spectrum of cases and the dynamic transitions between states.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze under-addressed problems in current accounts of disability and enhancement.
• To propose a framework for understanding disability and enhancement through 'capacity space' transitions.
• To critique existing definitions based on their ability to encompass diverse cases.

Main Methods:

• Presentation of seven distinct cases illustrating potential disability or enhancement scenarios.
• Analysis of each case within the concept of 'capacity space' transitions.
• Evaluation of existing definitions against the presented cases.

Main Results:

• Identified a range of neglected cases in disability and enhancement literature.
• Demonstrated that most definitions fail to address all presented cases.
• Found that strict welfarist accounts of disability, while inclusive of cases, are deficient in their disregard for specific capacities.

Conclusions:

• Current philosophical accounts of disability and enhancement are inadequate due to limited case consideration and neglect of state transitions.
• Welfarist accounts of disability, while seemingly comprehensive, possess inherent deficiencies by not accounting for specific capacities.
• Further research is needed to develop more robust and inclusive frameworks for understanding disability and enhancement.