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Addiction and self-determination: a phenomenological approach
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy II, Christian-Doppler-Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University, Ignaz-Harrer-Strasse 79, 5020, Salzburg, Austria. schlimme.jann@gmx.de
Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics
|March 17, 2010
Summary
This study explores impaired self-determination in addiction, defining self-determination as self-effectivity. Addiction, viewed as a learned psychotropic technique, alters personal identity and reduces self-effectivity, impacting agency.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Mind
- Addiction Studies
- Phenomenology
Background:
- Self-determination is crucial for agency and personal identity.
- Addiction is often characterized by a loss of control and impaired decision-making.
- Phenomenological approaches offer unique insights into subjective experiences of agency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To phenomenologically describe self-determination and its core component, self-effectivity.
- To analyze how addiction impairs self-determination through the concept of 'psychotropic techniques'.
- To explore the implications of this framework for understanding personal responsibility in addiction.
Main Methods:
- Phenomenological analysis of the experience of self-determination.
- Conceptual development of 'self-effectivity' as a measure of agency.
- Application of the phenomenological model to understand addiction-related impairments.
Main Results:
- Self-determination is defined as self-effectivity across three behavioral domains.
- Addiction is conceptualized as an embodied, learned 'psychotropic technique'.
- This technique fundamentally alters personal identity and reduces an agent's self-effectivity.
Conclusions:
- Addiction involves a learned reduction in self-effectivity, not necessarily a basic loss of control.
- Phenomenological insights into addiction can reframe discussions on personal responsibility.
- Understanding addiction as altered self-effectivity offers a new perspective on recovery and agency.
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