OSAKA -- People with disabilities may be considered weak, but they are often the ones giving comfort and strength to their caregivers, according to Kiyokazu Washida, a philosophy professor at Osaka University's graduate school.
The 52-year-old, who has pioneered the field of "rinsho tetsugaku," or clinical philosophy, in Japan, maintains that when so-called weak people do not hide their weaknesses, their caregivers are freed from the pressure to look and act strong.
"Weak people can give their caregivers the opportunity to release themselves from various social pressures and face their hidden weaknesses," he said. "I've seen many cases where the relationship between care-recipient and caregiver is reversed. It is this relationship that heightens the quality of both their lives."