Philosophical and anthropological understanding of the child and childhood in the context of inclusion

Abstract

This article presents a comprehensive philosophical-anthropological analysis of childhood and the figure of the child within the framework of inclusive education, emphasizing the phenomenon of neurodiversity as a distinctive form of human existence. The study problematizes traditional normative approaches that have historically understood childhood primarily as a stage of development toward a standardized model of adulthood, often marginalizing or pathologizing children with neurodivergent conditions such as autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, dyslexia, and others. Instead, it proposes a reconceptualization of neurodiversity as an ontologically significant manifestation of human plurality, demanding a fundamental rethinking of key philosophical categories such as normativity, otherness, subjectivity, and dignity.

Drawing on classical philosophical anthropology—particularly the works of Helmuth Plessner, Arnold Gehlen, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty—the article highlights the openness and incompleteness of human existence as foundational for embracing different modes of being. Plessner’s notion of the “eccentric positionality” of humans, who exist simultaneously “within” themselves and “beyond” themselves in cultural and social worlds, is central to understanding neurodiversity not as deficiency but as a valid existential modality. Phenomenological perspectives emphasize the embodied nature of experience, with Merleau-Ponty underscoring the primacy of the lived body as the site through which the world is perceived and interpreted, thus legitimizing neurodivergent ways of engaging with reality.

The study further integrates insights from ethical philosophy, notably Emmanuel Levinas’s concept of the Other as an irreducible ethical demand, and contemporary educational philosophy, such as Gert Biesta’s advocacy for recognizing the child’s voice as already present and worthy of listening to. It also addresses contemporary critical disability studies, foregrounding the socio-political constructions of normalcy and the imperative to deconstruct exclusionary practices in education.

Special attention is given to Ukrainian scholarly contributions to this discourse, highlighting the integration of Levinasian ethics and person-centered pedagogical approaches that promote respect for the child’s unique neurodivergent identity and agency. The article concludes that the shift from viewing the neurodiverse child as an object of correction to recognizing them as a full subject of meaning and culture is essential for the development of genuinely inclusive educational environments. This paradigm calls for transformative pedagogical models that not only accommodate differences but celebrate them as integral to human diversity and cultural richness.