Asking the Question, “What Is Disability?”: Is It Possible to Use Disability Definitions Strategically and Practically Based on Their “Usefulness” to Disabled People?

Abstract

The question “What is a disability?” cannot be answered unambiguously. Based on this premise, this study considers the possibility of a “strategic and practical use of the definition of disability,” in which each case selects multiple definitions of disability according to their purpose, even contradictory, from the perspective of “usefulness” in the sense that they serve to reduce or eliminate the suffering and pain of disabled people. This paper, therefore, aims to discuss the potential of this “strategic and practical use of disability definitions,” responding to various criticisms that might be expected. We then suggest that the “strategic and practical use of disability definitions” has significant advantages in achieving these goals, as they vary from case to case.