Browsing by Subject "Existentialism"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Alzheimer's Disease Narratives and the Myth of Human Being
    (2012-12-11) Rieske, Tegan Echo; Schultz, Jane E.; Johnson, Karen Ramsay; Tilley, John J.
    The ‘loss of self’ trope is a pervasive shorthand for the prototypical process of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the popular imagination. Turned into an effect of disease, the disappearance of the self accommodates a biomedical story of progressive deterioration and the further medicalization of AD, a process which has been storied as an organic pathology affecting the brain or, more recently, a matter of genetic calamity. This biomedical discourse of AD provides a generic framework for the disease and is reproduced in its illness narratives. The disappearance of self is a mythic element in AD narratives; it necessarily assumes the existence of a singular and coherent entity which, from the outside, can be counted as both belonging to and representing an individual person. The loss of self, as the rhetorical locus of AD narrative, limits the privatization of the experience and reinscribes cultural storylines---storylines about what it means to be a human person. The loss of self as it occurs in AD narratives functions most effectively in reasserting the presence of the human self, in contrast to an anonymous, inhuman nonself; as AD discourse details a loss of self, it necessarily follows that the thing which is lost (the self) always already existed. The private, narrative self of individual experience thus functions as proxy to a collective human identity predicated upon exceptionalism: an escape from nature and the conditions of the corporeal environment.
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    Bridging Theory and Meaning: Embedding Philosophical and Spiritual Perspectives in Occupational Therapy Education
    (2025-04-21) McCoy, Sarah; Bednarski, Julie; Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences; DeRolf, Annie
    Occupational therapy (OT) theory serves as a foundational framework that enables practitioners to understand the principles and mechanisms driving human occupation and participation. In an analysis of barriers to effective theory-practice integration, there is an evident need for a deeper philosophical understanding of the profession. In therapeutic situations, there are subjective and unobservable processes that occur within individuals that cannot be scientifically explained, though may be better explained through the philosophical language which seeks to give description to the “essence” or spirit of man. The project proposes revising the Theory and Reasoning in OT course by adding a module on existential themes, aiming to cultivate awareness and authenticity in engaging with clients' emotional experiences, especially when facing a loss of autonomy. The project unfolds in three phases: a comprehensive review of literature to explore the intersection of existential philosophy and occupational therapy, the development of a module that integrates key philosophical concepts with practical applications, and an evaluation of the module’s effectiveness through feedback to ensure its relevance and impact on students' understanding and practice. By integrating existential philosophy into OT education, the revision aims to better prepare future practitioners to navigate complex client care and foster a deeper connection to the purpose and value of the profession.
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    The Institute of Habits and Weirdness
    (2013-05) Senibaldi, Dominic; Morrison, David
    I draw inspiration from mundane activities such as shaving, shredding documents, waking up to an alarm clock and clipping fingernails. I use these activities as a springboard to explore the meaning behind habits. Are habits a human need? Do we place such importance on our daily repetitive activities that they become rituals? Do mundane activities help us to ignore the meaningless of existence, or give purpose to our existence? These are questions I actively attempt to answer with my art works.