Feminist philosophers might disagree with mainstream philosophers about what should be done regarding disability (i.e., they might draw different ethical or political conclusions). For example, mainstream philosophers might say, “Disability is a biological deficit; therefore, we should focus on curing or eliminating it.” A feminist philosopher, while accepting that disability is biological, might instead say, “Even if it is a biological deficit, disabled people still deserve care, respect, and social support.” 

Deriving Normative Conclusions from Mainstream Philosophy's Ontology of Disability 

Tremain argues: Most feminist philosophers uncritically accept the aforementioned assumptions about what disability is, though they may not derive the same normative conclusions from this ontology that mainstream philosophers do (many feminist philosophers still treat disability as a biological fact- as something located in the individual body and described accurately by medicine. Even though feminist philosophers often challenge sexism, patriarchy, and other forms of power, they don’t always question the basic assumption that disability is a natural condition). 

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The group of assumptions that underlie these questions takes for granted the "metaphysical status" and "epistemological character" of the category of disability, casting disability as a self-evident (and thus philosophically uninteresting) designation that only science and medicine can accurately represent. 

Assumptions Underlying Questions in Mainstream Philosophy 

Tremain, S. L. (2017). Foucault and feminist philosophy of disability. University of Michigan Press.

Foucault and Feminist Philosophy of Disability Reference

“Metaphysical status”: the kind of thing we think disability is (its existential or ontological nature). Tremain means that most discussions assume that disability is: a real, biological fact about certain bodies; something that exists independently of culture, history, or power; a natural kind (like gravity or DNA) rather than a product of social processes. Tremain is questioning what kind of "reality" disability is said to have. 

"Metaphysical Status" 

“Epistemological character”: how we think we can know or understand what disability is; the methods, assumptions, and frameworks that shape knowledge about it. Tremain means that people assume: science and medicine are neutral, objective, and capable of giving us true knowledge about disability; disability can be accurately represented by scientific or medical categories (e.g., diagnosis, impairment type, cognitive score).

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