Illness

Is illness a malfunction of the body, a label imposed by society, or a particular way of living in the world? When someone falls ill, their physical surroundings, relationships and inner life can all shift, and Havi Carel asks whether a person can still find well-being while ill. She answers by combining an account of her own sickness with the philosophical tools she uses in her professional work.

Carel's view of illness also turns a critical eye on everyone around the sick person, from doctors and nurses to friends and strangers. She argues that these groups tend to misread the ill, and she asks readers to think more carefully about how they respond. The book explores a central tension: illness is one of the most common human experiences, yet it is also deeply personal and often isolating.

This third edition has been revised and updated throughout and adds a new chapter on organ transplantation. Carel's philosophy draws on phenomenology, the study of lived experience. The book is written for students of philosophy, medical ethics and medical anthropology, for healthcare and medical professionals, and for people living with illness together with their families and friends.