Philosophy of Trauma

Experiences have a major influence on the development of human beings; extreme experiences, such as violence, are an inherent part of the world. As technology and globalization advance, so does the impact of violence and extreme experiences. As such, trauma, a word often used to describe physical wounds, has also become part of current discourse as a label for extreme experiences. Survivors of such experiences often have debilitating symptoms long after wounds heal. There is a large subjective component to such trauma, and responses to trauma can vary greatly among individuals. Understandably, these violent experiences are physically damaging or life threatening and can have profound psychological impact.

Psychological trauma is not a natural category, but rather a sociocultural construct used to describe experiences. Still, it can ...