In the science fiction novel Distress by Greg Egan, there is a chapter and that involves autism spectrum conditions. It is chapter 6, on pages 57-74 in the paperback edition. Here is a synopsis of the chapter/subplot involving autism spectrum conditions: The main character Andrew, a journalist, is assigned to make a documentary about bioethics. One of the sections in his documentary is about the Voluntary Autists Association. He interviews the media liason for the Voluntary Autists Association for his documentary. The chapter describes his interview. The Voluntary Autists Association bears some resemblances to Aspies For Freedom. I think the situations described in the chapter are a metaphor for how aspies would like to be free to be themselves, without pressure to conform to neurotypic standards.
Here is a link with a brief excerpt:
http://www.educatedguesswork.org/movable...autis.html
This chapter impressed me because I thought it showed a good understanding and "inside view" of Asperger's syndrome. To those who like to read science fiction, or fictional depictions of Asperger's syndrome, I would recommend it.
very very interesting.
It is good to try and see things in another point of view, such as people who would want to be autistic. Someone with autism also might find it strange if someone else with autism wanted a "cure". Others would just like to be left alone. I guess the important part is that we all need to respect other's point of view on how they want to be.
Interesting. In the link posted above the author wrote:
"I said, "If autism is a lack of understanding of others ... and healing the lesion would grant you that lost understanding--"
Rourke broke in, "But how much is understanding and how much is a delusion of understanding?. Is intimacy a form of knowledge, or is it just a comforting false belief? Evoution isn't interested in whether or not we grasp the truth, except in the most pragmatic sense. And there can be equally pragmatic falsehoods. If the brain neds to grant us an exaggerated sense of our capacity for knowing each other--to make pair-bonding compatible with self-awareness--it will lie, shamelessly, as much as it has to, in order to make the strategy succeed."
And so, if we rid ourselves of the delusion of intimacy and also our pragmatic falsehoods, what's left?
And so, if we rid ourselves of the delusion of intimacy and also our pragmatic falsehoods, what's left?
The truth...?
The observer, when he seems to himself to be observing a stone, is really, if physics is to be believed, observing the effects of the stone upon himself. ~Bertrand Russell
I don't usually read any form of fiction, but I'm reading this novel just to find out about the ideas about autism in the story, and so far I've found the ideas fascinating. I don't know how seriously I should be taking these ideas about what is the difference between AS and NT. Are they only the ideas of the autistic character James Rourke or do they reflect the beliefs of the author? Whatever the case, the autist character states his case well and with conviction, and I think the author knows a thing or two about aspies, as I find this intelligent character convincing as an aspie (unlike some other media representations of aspies).
The Western Australian author of the book, Greg Egan, has been mentioned in this very good article about AS and science fiction:
"Homo aspergerus: evolution stumbles forward" by Gary Westfahl. Locus Online. March 6th 2006.
http://www.locusmag.com/