Disability and the Moral Point of View

ABSTRACT

It is argued that discussions of disability need to be located within a clearly-defined moral framework if the rights of disabled people as members of the community are to be translated into society's duties in respect of those rights. An ethical system based on modern versions of utilitarianism is suggested as a moral framework, and this is supplemented by prescriptions based on the notions of social justice and respect for persons. Finally, it is proposed that, in order to connect moral beliefs with desired changes in social attitudes and behaviour, moral education programmes should specifically address the topic of disability alongside the consideration of other examples of social inequalities and injustices.