Ramy Amin

This paper examines the asymmetric relationship between epistemic uptake (accepting a scientific explanation as true) and normative uptake (accepting the associated moral demands) through examining Alison Reiheld’s (2010) case of the medicalization of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Utilizing Ashley Harrison et al.’s (2017) Autism Stigma & Knowledge Questionnaire, I showcase how empirical evidence demonstrates that increased knowledge about ASD does not consistently correspond to decreased stigma, or greater normative uptake. I therefore argue that, while medicalization may produce explanatory frameworks that improve public understanding, it does not necessarily shift moral attitudes or reduce marginalization.