A glimpse of history. In 1848 Magnus Huss, a Swedish doctor was first to speak about the
chronic
alcoholism
. One may speculate, of course, if the law of gravitation had existed before Newton stated it. Things are more complex with alcoholism. Indeed, the concept integrity won’t be spoilt if we should believe an individual’s strife to self-intoxication a deliberate choice and a drunk behavior as a mere immoral action. Today's laws of Belarus, for example, characterize it as “insult of human dignity and virtue”.
Even a brief analysis of the principles of rehabilitation programs shows that the philosophy of the majority of them won’t suffer a thing, if we consider them a moral correction programs, not a disease treatment ones. So, it turns out that theory and practice allow omitting the addiction as disease. And the question whether we can’t describe the alcoholism as a disease due to a lack of arguments or a lack of research evidence for the time being – is still unanswered.
Even a brief analysis of the principles of rehabilitation programs shows that the philosophy of the majority of them won’t suffer a thing, if we consider them a moral correction programs, not a disease treatment ones. So, it turns out that theory and practice allow omitting the addiction as disease. And the question whether we can’t describe the alcoholism as a disease due to a lack of arguments or a lack of research evidence for the time being – is still unanswered.