Podcast Archive 27 January 2013

The Nature of Addiction

Q&A Radio: 27 January 2013, Question 1

I answered a question on the nature of addiction on 27 January 2013. You can listen to or download the podcast of just this question below – or check out the whole episode of Philosophy in Action Radio.

Is addiction a genuine phenomena? Can a person become dependent on alcohol or drugs to the point that he cannot prevent himself from consuming it, except perhaps by a supreme effort of will? Is such addiction physiological – or just a matter of bad habits of thought and action? Similarly, can a person be addicted to certain foods (such as sugar or wheat) or certain activities (like gambling or pornography)? If so, what does that mean? If a person is addicted to something, is the cure to abstain from it forever?

My Answer, In Brief: Drug and alcohol abuse and dependence are very serious problems, yet the standard disease model whereby a person cannot control his use of drugs or alcohol is wrong.

Tags: Addiction, Alcohol/Drugs, Character, Ethics, Food, Habits, Psychology, Self-Control, Values, Willpower

Duration: 30:48

Download: MP3 Segment (10.6 MB)

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