In support of the neurodiversity paradigm: from disorder to divergence

Abstract

This thesis examines the advantages of the neurodiversity paradigm over the medical model in classifying neurological variations as either disorders or divergences, particularly about addressing ontic and epistemic injustice. I introduce two new terms, disorder theory and divergence theory, to examine on what grounds autism or ADHD, for example, would be considered either a mental disorder or an aspect of human diversity. I argue that divergence theory offers a more precise framework for understanding neurological variations than disorder theory and that its adoption would help mitigate epistemic and ontic injustices.