ABSTRACT

The discourse of reason has been central to western thought since the time of antiquity. The role of reason in defining what constitutes a person, or a citizen, and the relationship between reason and the value of a person has, not surprisingly, been a key determinant of the social response to people with intellectual disabilities. 1 The “children of God”, the “holy innocent”, the “mass of flesh”, the “menacing feebleminded”, or the deconstructionist dialogue of the present all reflect to a greater or lesser degree this discourse of reason, value and persons and consequently, the prevailing social attitude towards intellectual disability.