Throughout this essay, I aim to prove that a soft disease view, such as Hyman’s is most appropriate in talking about addiction. In order to do this, I shall first assess and criticise Leshner’s view through criticisms asserted by a liberal account; secondly, I aim to display how these criticisms also go too far in their assertions. Following from this, I aim to assert that the lack of stimulation of the planning and motor systems is sufficient enough to prove a soft disease view, accordingly proving that there is a difference between actions that an addict performs and ordinary human actions. One who believes a hard disease view will assert that the fundamental difference between an action an addict performs and an ordinary human action, is that an addict’s actions are non-voluntary. Consequently, actions become mere reflexes as opposed to rational behaviour. In order to assert that addiction is a “chronic recurring illness”, Leshner uses the premises that drug use “acutely modify mood, memory, perception, and emotional
Throughout this essay, I aim to prove that a soft disease view, such as Hyman’s is most appropriate in talking about addiction. In order to do this, I shall first assess and criticise Leshner’s view through criticisms asserted by a liberal account; secondly, I aim to display how these criticisms also go too far in their assertions. Following from this, I aim to assert that the lack of stimulation of the planning and motor systems is sufficient enough to prove a soft disease view, accordingly proving that there is a difference between actions that an addict performs and ordinary human actions. One who believes a hard disease view will assert that the fundamental difference between an action an addict performs and an ordinary human action, is that an addict’s actions are non-voluntary. Consequently, actions become mere reflexes as opposed to rational behaviour. In order to assert that addiction is a “chronic recurring illness”, Leshner uses the premises that drug use “acutely modify mood, memory, perception, and emotional