Addiction and Virtue: Beyond the Models of Disease and Choice

by Kent Dunnington

What is the nature of addiction? Neither of the two dominant models (disease or choice) adequately accounts for the experience of those who are addicted or of those who are seeking to help them.In this interdisciplinary work, Kent Dunnington brings the neglected resources of philosophical and theological analysis to bear on the problem of addiction. Drawing on the insights of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas, he formulates an alternative to the usual reductionistic models.Going further, Dunnington maintains that addiction is not just a problem facing individuals. Its pervasiveness sheds prophetic light on our cultural moment. Moving beyond issues of individual treatment, this groundbreaking study also outlines significant implications for ministry within the local church context.

199 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 26, 2011

Reviews

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a how to or self help book, but a study of addiction as false worship in light of Thomistic account of habit. Especially good in describing false worship as reductionist in fixating on a single thing in the created order and in critiquing the church in light of the presence of addiction.

[Steve Herreid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating overview of addiction from a philosophical/Christian perspective. The author's thesis is that addiction is best explained by reference to "habit" a middle ground between the disease model and pure moral choice. Highly stimulating and convincing on a number of key points. I loved this book.