What is autism?

No, really. What is it? I know what everyone says when you ask them the question. You can search Google and get a bunch of generic answers. But what, really, is autism?

Is it a result (symptom) of heavy metal toxicity? The overload of mercury in children as a result of childhood vaccinations.

Is it a different kind of mind?

What about all those other things associated with autism, what some call co-morbidities and some call symptoms of autism?

Will we ever know? Can we ever know? Does it matter? If we ever do find out what causes it, should we try to eradicate it? What if someone doesn't want to be cured? Whose decision is it?

If we can't/shouldn't cure autism, can we cure society?

< /stream-of-consciousness ramble>