"Addicts, Mythmakers, and Philosophers”

            One of the main arguments addressed in the article “Addicts, Mythmakers, and Philosophers” in the section “Model Behavior” is that those who are addicted to substances have minds that trick them into believing that their compulsive behaviors are truly what is best for them. This point helps prove wrong the common misconception that those addicted to these substances are choosing to partake in behaviors that they know are bad for them overall.

           

Socrates tells us that “if we believe we know what the good (the best) thing to do is, and it is accessible to us, we will do the good” (Brody). Socrates is ultimately saying that our inherent human nature wants us to choose good for ourselves. Common sense seems to dictate that things that cause us major harm such as drugs and alcohol are bad, but addicts do not see those addictive substances as so (Graff 24). According to Socrates, “things which tempt us can have the power to alter our perception or understanding of their value, making them deceptively appear to be what is best” (Brody, Graff 46). Those who give into their compulsions sometimes really do believe that they are making the best decision for themselves, and overcoming this mind barrier is a huge problem when trying to rid themselves of their compulsions. Socrates’ theory of humans wanting to choose good is extremely useful because it sheds light on the difficult problem of what causes addicts to continue their addictive behaviors (Graff 62).

While addicts have a very hard time overcoming their addictions, it is not to say that it is an impossible task (Graff xx). It has been proven that, “some addicts have stopped or limited their drug use when they have had good enough reason for doing so” (Brody). This points out that addicts can help control their compulsions when they “regard doing so as important” (Brody).  This helps show that while addictions are hard to overcome, they are not impossible, but just need the right motivation to do so.

In conclusion, this article helps to bring to light some of the mental challenges that cause addictions to be so hard to resolve. While humans want to do what is good, their minds have the ability to trick them into believing that their  self-harming behaviors are the best thing for them at that time. This mindset allows them to continue their addictive behaviors even after they resolve to fix them. 

Brody, Alan. "Addicts, Mythmakers and Philosophers." Philosophy Now.

Philosophy Now, 2012. Web. 13 Oct. 2015. <https://philosophynow.org/issues/90/Addicts_Mythmakers_and_Philosophers>.

Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. They Say / I Say. 3rd ed. New York:

W.W. Norton, 2015. Print.