while looking for the article suggested by Clare O'Farrell i came across a
recent one.
>From sin to disease: differences and similarities between past and current
conceptions of chronic drunkenness. Peter Ferentzy.
Contemporary Drug Problems, Fall 2001 v28 i3 p363(29)
Author's Abstract: COPYRIGHT 2001 Federal Legal Publications, Inc.
The disease conception of alcoholism, as a unified body of ideas, is barely
over 200 years old despite the presence of specific tenets in older texts.
Scrutiny of preindustrial sermons wherein drunkenness is identified as
compulsive and progressive reveals crucial distinctions between past and
current thinking on the matter: first, abstinence from drink is not the
preferred solution; second, unlike today, compulsion is not a central theme
even if it is mentioned; third, other sins such as fornication and even
swearing are treated as out of control--and progressive--in much the same
manner as drunkenness. The latter reflected a broader conception of sin
wherein drunkenness was a subset, simply one example among many, pointing to
a possible prototype for the more inclusive conception of
dependency--involving behaviors such as gambling--hat has become popular
over the last 20 years. The current conception, however, involves closer
scrutiny of conflicts within the self along with afar greater emphasis on
compulsion.
ali
Peter Ferentzy has done some some excellent work on the genealogy of
addiction. I don't know whether he is on this list.
http://www.angelfire.com/biz/telospress/contents91.html
>In a message dated 6/28/03 10:27:15 AM, jehms@xxxxxxxxx writes:
>
>>A genealogy of the concept of 'drug' would be
>>interesting I think.
>
>A genealogy of the concept "addiction" would be helpful, too.
--
Clare
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Clare O'Farrell
email: panopticon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
website: http://www.foucault.qut.edu.au
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