Philosophy Research Seminar - Ian Kidd

Ian James Kidd (Nottingham)

Pathophobia, Illness, and Vices

The testimonies and narratives of chronically somatically ill persons consistently describe a whole range of forms of morally objectionable treatment. Currently no concept exists to gather together and describe those forms of mistreatment - something that does for the somatically ill what sanism and ableism do for those with mental health conditions and disabilities. I therefore introduce the concept of pathophobia to refer to the variety of morally objectionable forms of attitudes and behaviours directed at the somatically ill. I argue that the moral analysis of pathophobia is best served using a vice-ethical framework. To that end I describe five clusters of pathophobic vices and end with some remarks on further directions for study and amelioration of pathophobia.