Researchers at Hiroshima University (Japan) have introduced a new philosophical framework—“conditional bad-difference view” (Conditional BDV)—to understanding ethically important features of disability. The Conditional BDV was developed in response to shortcomings in the two dominant philosophical perspectives for disabilities. The “bad-difference view” (BDV) holds that a disability is inherently detrimental to well-being, even in ideal situations without discrimination against disabled people. The novel Conditional BDV challenges this binary perspective, proposing instead that a disability is harmful if and only if it interferes with an individual’s ability to pursue their aspirations. The researchers also address several possible objections to the Conditional BDV.