The Healing Body: Creative Responses to Illness, Aging, and Affliction

The Healing Body offers philosophical and medical insights into existential healing responses to bodily breakdown,including those facing chronic pain,illness,and COVID-19 survivors. It explores the phenomenology of lived embodiment and how individuals creatively cope with societal and physical challenges,drawing from continental philosophy and other traditions.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 31 October 2023
Publisher: Northwestern University Press

As we navigate the complexities of an aging population, the millions grappling with chronic pain and illness, and the countless COVID survivors facing long-term impairments, our individual and collective trust in our bodies is shaken. How do we adapt? And how can we live well, even when medical cures remain elusive? In The Healing Body: Creative Responses to Illness, Aging, and Affliction, philosopher and medical doctor Drew Leder explores how the phenomenology of lived embodiment offers a rich tapestry of existential healing responses to bodily breakdown. Leder also delves into the experiences of socially marginalized groups, such as the incarcerated and the elderly, to uncover how individuals creatively navigate societal and physical challenges.

This groundbreaking book advances current research on the phenomenology of the body, pain, suffering, disability, and aging. It engages deeply with the legacies of continental philosophy while drawing insights from the traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The Healing Body emerges as a uniquely creative and innovative contribution to contemporary philosophy, showcasing the profound importance of the philosophical method to the broader cultural landscape.

Through his profound exploration, Leder invites us to reimagine our relationship with our bodies and embrace the inherent resilience and healing potential that resides within us. He challenges us to cultivate practices that nourish our physical and emotional well-being, even in the face of adversity. By exploring the experiences of marginalized groups, Leder sheds light on the ways in which social and structural inequalities impact our health and well-being. He advocates for a more inclusive and compassionate approach to healthcare that recognizes the holistic nature of our being and addresses the root causes of illness and suffering.

The Healing Body is a testament to the power of philosophy to inspire and transform our lives. It reminds us that our bodies are not merely vessels to be endured but sacred spaces where we can cultivate meaning, connection, and joy. By embracing the healing potential of our lived embodiment, we can find solace, strength, and resilience in the face of adversity. This book offers a roadmap for navigating the complexities of illness, aging, and affliction, and for living a fulfilling and purposeful life, even when medical cures remain out of reach.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780810146389