Living with Autism: Quus-ing in a Plus-ers World

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

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Wilkenfeld, D. A. (2019). Living with Autism: Quus-ing in a Plus-ers World. Res Philosophica, 97(1), 53-68. https://doi.org/10.11612/resphil.1819

Publication date: 5 Dec 2019 Added to AutiHub: 7 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) OpenAlex source

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Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Daniel A. Wilkenfeld *

Abstract

In this paper, I explore the possibility that the point Kripke (1982) made about understanding meaning also applies to understanding social interaction. This understanding involves extending what one has learned from a finite number of past observations to provide normative guidance for an indefinitely complicated future. Kripke argues (to my mind correctly) that what one should do in the future is inevitably underdetermined by the infinite possible interpretations of the past. Moreover, no matter how much one attempts to make the rules explicit, they will always be underspecified. I then explore the speculative hypothesis that having different tacit dispositions made manifest in one’s understanding of the rules of social engagement would look remarkably similar to tendencies exhibited by many autistic individuals. The analogy will say something substantive about how neurotypicals (and other autists) should treat the behavior of autistic individuals—if we are not even doing anything incorrect, then society should not be criticizing our means of engagement.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 2 Oct 2026 01:00.

Cited references
22
With a DOI
11
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
10
2 / 22 (9.1%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
10 / 22 (45.5%)
References with detected author names
15 / 22 (68.2%)
Without detected author names
7
Without a structured title
10
Without a stable identifier
10
References with raw author names still to review
8
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
20
From DOI or external metadata
17
From validated raw bibliography text
3
Raw names already validated
3
Raw names still to review
8
6 / 20 (30.0%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 14 / 20 (70.0%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
2 / 20 (10.0%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 2 / 6 (33.3%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 2 / 19 (10.5%).
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  6. Anita Silvers (2003). On the possibility and desirability of constructing a neutral conception of disability . Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, 24(6), 471-487. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
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    Type: Other
    Crossref
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  11. PAUL A. BOGHOSSIAN (1989). The Rule-Following Considerations 1 . Mind, XCVIII(392), 507-549. Oxford University Press (OUP).
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  12. Alex Byrne (1996). On Misinterpreting Kripke's Wittgenstein . Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 56(2), 339. JSTOR.
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  13. Saul A. Kripke (1982). Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Language: An Elementary Exposition .
    Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2284904207
    OpenAlex
  14. (n.d.). Kripke, Saul A. 1982. Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Language: An Elementary Exposition. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  15. (n.d.). Lee, Shannon. 2019. I'm Focused on Accepting My Daughter's Autism —- Not a Cure. Healthline (Website) URL: https://www.healthline.com/health/autism/acceptance-not-cure#1 .
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  16. Daniel A. Weiskopf (2017). An ideal disorder? Autism as a psychiatric kind . Philosophical Explorations, 20(2), 175-190. Informa UK Limited.
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    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  17. Jo Robinson (n.d.). Robinson, John. 2009. The `Cure' for Autism, and the Fight Over It. Psychology Today (Blog), URL: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/my-life-aspergers/200910/the-cure-autism-and-the-fight-over-it .
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  18. (n.d.). Sequenzia, Amy. 2016. Autistic Conversion Therapy. Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network (blog). Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network (blog). URL: https://awnnetwork.org/autistic-conversion-therapy/ .
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    Crossref
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    Crossref
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    Crossref
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    Type: Other
    Crossref