The reality of autism: On the metaphysics of disorder and diversity

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Chapman, R. (2020). The reality of autism: On the metaphysics of disorder and diversity. Philosophical Psychology, 33(6), 799-819. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515089.2020.1751103

Publication date: 18 Apr 2020 Added to AutiHub: 5 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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  1. Robert Chapman *

Abstract

Typically, although it’s notoriously hard to define, autism has been represented as a biologically-based mental disorder that can be usefully investigated by biomedical science. In recent years, however, problematic findings regarding the biological underpinnings of autism; historical research examining the shifting nature of the categorization; and a lack of biomedical utility have led some to suggest abandoning the concept of autism. My interest here is the possibility that autism may remain a meaningful and helpful classification even if it lacks scientific validity and biomedical utility. After arguing that accounts of autism as a psychiatric classification are unsustainable, I draw on feminist philosopher Iris Marion-Young’s distinction between groups and serial collectives in order to account for the reality of autism as a social category, best framed in terms of a social model of disability. When it is taken as a serial collective, I argue, we can coherently understand autistic people as forming a marginalized minority, disabled in relation to the specific material and social contexts, yet in a way that avoids neuro-centric commitments. Autism is thus real and valuable for political and ethical rather than biomedical reasons.

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Cited references
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Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
8 / 75 (10.7%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
11 / 103 (10.7%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 11 / 21 (52.4%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 8 / 92 (8.7%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
21 / 103 (20.4%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 14 / 92 (15.2%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
10 / 21 (47.6%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 10 / 103 (9.7%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 6 / 14 (42.9%).
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