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Critical Reflections on Stanley Hauerwas' Theology of Disability: Disabling Society, Enabling Theology

The retarded and the criteria for the human

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Hauerwas, S
January 1, 2012

The criteria for what is understood as authentic ‘humanhood’ have been much discussed in contemporary bioethics. Many of the ‘traditional’ arguments for the essence of humanness necessarily exclude people with developmental disabilities. Such definitions can easily lead to treatment which is inhumane. Hauerwas critque’s the criteria for humanness arguing that the conditions of being human form a far too complex pattern ever to be reduced to ‘criteria.' To be human is to be open to the call of what we are not, and there is therefore no chance that our humanity will be enhanced by excluding from our ranks those who we do not understand as ‘we’.

Duke Scholars

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Publication Date

January 1, 2012

Start / End Page

127 / 134
 

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Hauerwas, S. (2012). The retarded and the criteria for the human. In Critical Reflections on Stanley Hauerwas’ Theology of Disability: Disabling Society, Enabling Theology (pp. 127–134). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203051122-11
Hauerwas, S. “The retarded and the criteria for the human.” In Critical Reflections on Stanley Hauerwas’ Theology of Disability: Disabling Society, Enabling Theology, 127–34, 2012. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203051122-11.
Hauerwas S. The retarded and the criteria for the human. In: Critical Reflections on Stanley Hauerwas’ Theology of Disability: Disabling Society, Enabling Theology. 2012. p. 127–34.
Hauerwas, S. “The retarded and the criteria for the human.” Critical Reflections on Stanley Hauerwas’ Theology of Disability: Disabling Society, Enabling Theology, 2012, pp. 127–34. Scopus, doi:10.4324/9780203051122-11.
Hauerwas S. The retarded and the criteria for the human. Critical Reflections on Stanley Hauerwas’ Theology of Disability: Disabling Society, Enabling Theology. 2012. p. 127–134.

DOI

Publication Date

January 1, 2012

Start / End Page

127 / 134