The Affirmation of Blindness: A Nietzschean Critique of Interpretations of Suffering from Disability

Bibliographic Details
Main Author:	Berkemeier, Caleb Anthony
Language:	English
Published:	Kent State University / OhioLINK 2021
Subjects:	Literature Philosophy disability blindness suffering disability studies Nietzsche affirmation oppression interpretation National Federation of the Blind Jernigan ressentiment bad conscience
Online Access:	http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1627135400515518

id	ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-kent1627135400515518
record_format	oai_dc
spelling	ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-kent16271354005155182021-08-03T07:17:44Z The Affirmation of Blindness: A Nietzschean Critique of Interpretations of Suffering from Disability Berkemeier, Caleb Anthony Literature Philosophy disability blindness suffering disability studies Nietzsche affirmation oppression interpretation National Federation of the Blind Jernigan ressentiment bad conscience The field of Disability Studies (DS) generally avoids addressing the problem of suffering and disability due to the long history of harmful stereotyping of disability as being a bad state of existence. When suffering is addressed, it tends to be conceptualized and criticized as a consequence of social oppression; and, as such, the experience is devalued. Some DS theorists have attempted to analyze the problem of impairment-derived suffering, but they tend to narrowly focus on experiences of physical pain and avoid the negative psychological effects of lacking physical abilities. The problem of suffering and its value is a central concern for the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). Many of his works explore the experience of suffering and the psychological need for suffering to have meaning in a world that no longer offers convincing metaphysical justifications for it. Nietzsche argues that suffering has value and is necessary for human flourishing; and, in opposition to philosophical pessimists like Arthur Schopenhauer, he asserts that suffering must be affirmed. This Nietzschean perspective on suffering has vital implications for conceptualizing and interpreting negative experiences involving disability in general, and blindness specifically. In Part 1, I describe several DS interpretations of suffering, and compare/contrast them with Nietzsche’s interpretation. In Part 2, I use these interpretations to analyze experiences of blindness and suffering in memoirs and tragic literature. I ultimately argue that, if blind people are to flourish, we must adopt a Nietzschean interpretation of suffering. This interpretation requires us to affirm the value of suffering in blindness and to reject interpretations, such as social oppression, that devalue suffering. 2021-07-26 English text Kent State University / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1627135400515518 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1627135400515518 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.
collection	NDLTD
language	English
sources	NDLTD
topic	Literature Philosophy disability blindness suffering disability studies Nietzsche affirmation oppression interpretation National Federation of the Blind Jernigan ressentiment bad conscience
spellingShingle	Literature Philosophy disability blindness suffering disability studies Nietzsche affirmation oppression interpretation National Federation of the Blind Jernigan ressentiment bad conscience Berkemeier, Caleb Anthony The Affirmation of Blindness: A Nietzschean Critique of Interpretations of Suffering from Disability
author	Berkemeier, Caleb Anthony
author_facet	Berkemeier, Caleb Anthony
author_sort	Berkemeier, Caleb Anthony
title	The Affirmation of Blindness: A Nietzschean Critique of Interpretations of Suffering from Disability
title_short	The Affirmation of Blindness: A Nietzschean Critique of Interpretations of Suffering from Disability
title_full	The Affirmation of Blindness: A Nietzschean Critique of Interpretations of Suffering from Disability
title_fullStr	The Affirmation of Blindness: A Nietzschean Critique of Interpretations of Suffering from Disability
title_full_unstemmed	The Affirmation of Blindness: A Nietzschean Critique of Interpretations of Suffering from Disability
title_sort	affirmation of blindness: a nietzschean critique of interpretations of suffering from disability
publisher	Kent State University / OhioLINK
publishDate	2021
url	http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1627135400515518
work_keys_str_mv	AT berkemeiercalebanthony theaffirmationofblindnessanietzscheancritiqueofinterpretationsofsufferingfromdisability AT berkemeiercalebanthony affirmationofblindnessanietzscheancritiqueofinterpretationsofsufferingfromdisability
_version_	1719458498324987904

The Affirmation of Blindness: A Nietzschean Critique of Interpretations of Suffering from Disability

Similar Items