Addiction, Self‐Signalling and the Deep Self. (June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Holton, Richard
• Is Part Of: Mind & language. Volume 31:Number 3(2016:Jun.)
• Page Start: 300
• Page End: 313
• Publication Date: 2016-06
• Subjects: Psycholinguistics -- Periodicals; Thought and thinking -- Periodicals; Language and languages -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; 153.42
• DOI: 10.1111/mila.12107
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0268-1064

Abstract

Abstract: Addicts may simply deny that they are addicted; or they may use self‐signalling to try to provide evidence that giving up is not worthwhile. I provide an account that shows how easy it is to provide apparent evidence either that the addiction is so bad that it cannot be escaped; or that there is no real addiction, and hence nothing to escape. I suggest that the most effective way of avoiding this is to avoid self‐signalling altogether.