I've been thinking about illness, and how to live well in the face of it. If you are a seriously ill person, who might never recover from that illness, how do you deal with this? Authors such as Havi Carel and Elizabeth Barnes have examined this question from different perspectives—respectively, analytic philosophical and phenomenological—helping us to get beyond simple answers.
Your remarks apply especially to chronic illnesses, such as platform of pneumonia, tuberculosis or Crohn's disease or my own problem, Parkinson's disease. I tried to write something philosophical about the experience relying on Greek sources, but I think Spinoza would be an appropriate addition to what I wrote. What struck me at the time was that Epicureans and Stoics, despite metaphysical and epistemological differences, had roughly the same views about how to handle illness. I think there are problems with their views, but they make a good starting point. In the last chapter of my essay, I tried to take up, not very successfully, a problem that confronts all proposals such as mine and what I take to be Spinozas: dementia, which undermines the kind of self-awareness that I was relying on to talk about ways of living more spaciously with Parkinson's disease. My essay can be found by searching for "A Shaky Walk Downhill". David Kolb
I clicked on the link to Joseph Stramondo's piece and saw that you were one of the editors of *Avatar: The Last Airbender and Philosophy*! I love Blackwell's And Philosophy series. Can't wait to read this collection.
Spinoza may have died from silicosis as a result of the many hours that he spent grinding lenses.
Meanwhile please find three references which in one way or another describe the practice of light or energy medicine. The first one (in particular) points out that rebalancing and strengthening the Etheric Body is an essential key in the healing process.
Your remarks apply especially to chronic illnesses, such as platform of pneumonia, tuberculosis or Crohn's disease or my own problem, Parkinson's disease. I tried to write something philosophical about the experience relying on Greek sources, but I think Spinoza would be an appropriate addition to what I wrote. What struck me at the time was that Epicureans and Stoics, despite metaphysical and epistemological differences, had roughly the same views about how to handle illness. I think there are problems with their views, but they make a good starting point. In the last chapter of my essay, I tried to take up, not very successfully, a problem that confronts all proposals such as mine and what I take to be Spinozas: dementia, which undermines the kind of self-awareness that I was relying on to talk about ways of living more spaciously with Parkinson's disease. My essay can be found by searching for "A Shaky Walk Downhill". David Kolb
I like the idea of a rupture between the biological body and the lived body. That also seems like a pretty good description of being trans.
I really like the distinction Cavel makes. As someone who will likely never have a fully healthy body, this was really great to read. Thank you!
I clicked on the link to Joseph Stramondo's piece and saw that you were one of the editors of *Avatar: The Last Airbender and Philosophy*! I love Blackwell's And Philosophy series. Can't wait to read this collection.
Spinoza may have died from silicosis as a result of the many hours that he spent grinding lenses.
Meanwhile please find three references which in one way or another describe the practice of light or energy medicine. The first one (in particular) points out that rebalancing and strengthening the Etheric Body is an essential key in the healing process.
http://conductivityhealing.com
http://edenmethod.com
http://www.jacobliberman.org