My research on addiction focuses on using philosophical analysis, clinical practice, and addiction science to redress the standard conception of addiction as a neurobiological disease of compulsion. I argue that addiction is better characterised as a highly heterogenous disorder involving drug choices that, while on the surface puzzling, can be explained by recognising the multiple functions that drugs serve and by contextualising drug choices in relation to a host of interacting and individualised factors. Alongside craving or strength of motivation to use, these factors include: (1) psychiatric co-morbidity, (2) limited socio-economic opportunities, (3) decision-making biases, (4) denial and motivated irrationality, and (5) a sense of self and social identity. I believe we need to radically reform our common attitudes towards drugs and addiction and transform law and policy. I am currently writing a book that synthesizes and extends this work, under contract with Princeton University Press.
I am also Philosopher-in-Residence at the Venniro Lab where I collaborate with Marco Venniro and his team.
Articles:
Addiction and the meaning of disease in N Heather, M Field, AC Moss, S Satel, eds. Evaluating the Brain Disease Model of Addiction: 320-228 (2022)
Is addiction a brain disease? A plea for agnosticism and heterogeneity Psychopharmacology (published on-line Nov 26, 2021)
Addiction and the self Noûs (published on-line Feb 10, 2020)
What we're not talking about when we talk about addiction Hastings Center Report 50(4): 37-46 (2020)
"Chasing the first high": memory sampling in drug choice (with Aaron Bornstein) Neuropsychopharmacology (published on-line Jan 2, 2020)
The puzzle of addiction The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy and Science of Addiction (2018)
Denial in addiction Mind & Language 31(3): 277-299 (2016)
Responsibility without blame for addiction Neuroethics 10(1): 169-180 (2017)
Addiction The Routledge Companion to Free Will: 454-467 (2017)
How do you know you have a drug problem? The role of knowledge of negative consequences in explaining drug choice in humans and rats (with S.H. Ahmed) in N Heather and G Segal, eds. Addiction and Choice: Rethinking the Relationship (2016)
Psychopathology and the ability to do otherwise Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 90(1): 135-163 (2015)
The purpose in chronic addiction American Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 3: 30-39 (2012)
Addiction in context: philosophical lessons from a personality disorder clinic (with Steve Pearce)in N Levy, ed. Addiction and Self-control: 165-194 (2013)
What is addiction? (with Walter Sinnott-Armstrong) Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Psychiatry: 851-864 (2013) [material reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press and available here]
Co-edited collections:
The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy and Science of Addiction (with S.H. Ahmed)
Frontiers in Psychiatry: Alternative Models of Addiction (with S.H. Ahmed & Bennett Foddy)
Some interviews, public engagement articles, blogs & podcasts:
Understanding Addiction - BBC Radio 4 Four Thought
Addiction - The LSE Forum for Philosophy
Responsibility without Blame in Therapeutic Communities - Mad in America
The Brain Disease Model of Addiction: Discussion with Kent Berridge, Marc Lewis & Jerry Wakefield - The Brains Blog
Willful Acts - Hi-Phi Nation
The Outsider - Aeon
Addiction as Choice - Marc Lewis' Understanding Addiction Blog
Responsibility Without Blame for Addiction - Johns Hopkins Biomedical Odyssey Blog
Religion, Responsibility, Blame & Shame - In Sickness and In Health Podcast
I am also Philosopher-in-Residence at the Venniro Lab where I collaborate with Marco Venniro and his team.
Articles:
Addiction and the meaning of disease in N Heather, M Field, AC Moss, S Satel, eds. Evaluating the Brain Disease Model of Addiction: 320-228 (2022)
Is addiction a brain disease? A plea for agnosticism and heterogeneity Psychopharmacology (published on-line Nov 26, 2021)
Addiction and the self Noûs (published on-line Feb 10, 2020)
What we're not talking about when we talk about addiction Hastings Center Report 50(4): 37-46 (2020)
"Chasing the first high": memory sampling in drug choice (with Aaron Bornstein) Neuropsychopharmacology (published on-line Jan 2, 2020)
The puzzle of addiction The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy and Science of Addiction (2018)
Denial in addiction Mind & Language 31(3): 277-299 (2016)
Responsibility without blame for addiction Neuroethics 10(1): 169-180 (2017)
Addiction The Routledge Companion to Free Will: 454-467 (2017)
How do you know you have a drug problem? The role of knowledge of negative consequences in explaining drug choice in humans and rats (with S.H. Ahmed) in N Heather and G Segal, eds. Addiction and Choice: Rethinking the Relationship (2016)
Psychopathology and the ability to do otherwise Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 90(1): 135-163 (2015)
The purpose in chronic addiction American Journal of Bioethics Neuroscience 3: 30-39 (2012)
Addiction in context: philosophical lessons from a personality disorder clinic (with Steve Pearce)in N Levy, ed. Addiction and Self-control: 165-194 (2013)
What is addiction? (with Walter Sinnott-Armstrong) Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Psychiatry: 851-864 (2013) [material reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press and available here]
Co-edited collections:
The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy and Science of Addiction (with S.H. Ahmed)
Frontiers in Psychiatry: Alternative Models of Addiction (with S.H. Ahmed & Bennett Foddy)
Some interviews, public engagement articles, blogs & podcasts:
Understanding Addiction - BBC Radio 4 Four Thought
Addiction - The LSE Forum for Philosophy
Responsibility without Blame in Therapeutic Communities - Mad in America
The Brain Disease Model of Addiction: Discussion with Kent Berridge, Marc Lewis & Jerry Wakefield - The Brains Blog
Willful Acts - Hi-Phi Nation
The Outsider - Aeon
Addiction as Choice - Marc Lewis' Understanding Addiction Blog
Responsibility Without Blame for Addiction - Johns Hopkins Biomedical Odyssey Blog
Religion, Responsibility, Blame & Shame - In Sickness and In Health Podcast