A dementalized body? Reconsidering the human condition in the light of dementia

Abstract

The paper discusses anthropological questions that are raised by the phenomenon of dementia. Do persons with dementia still have the ability for autonomous decisions? Is there a will of a demented person? The paper argues that this relies on how we understand the concept of the self of a person. While the traditional concept of autonomy relies on the idea of an a-material self, the author argues by reference to Biblical traditions and to the philosophical tradition of phenomenology for the concept of an embodied self. Body, mind and soul are different aspects of the embodied existence of human beings. Autonomy then is not only a cognitive function, but is also bodily enacted—even by persons with dementia.