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This topic probably bears on Metaphysics as well but I think its specific enough that it would probably be discussed with regards to psychology.

Does anyone know if Ms. Rand ever made any comments on the nature of physical addiction or dependence? Was she aware of neuropsychological findings regarding either?

The answer to either these bear on various questions regarding consciousness, can ability to focus be quantified, do altered states of conscious affect volitional choices, can rationality be assessed for someone in an altered state of consciousness (and whether there is any way to delimit the difference between complete loss of volitional control and a reduction in the ability to think rationally).

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  • 1 month later...

I think she spoke about the mind of "a drug addict" several times in her non fiction, as the epitome of the whim worshipper's irrationality, or in her magnificent speech "Apollo and Dyonisius".

Was she aware of neuropsychological findings regarding either?

The answer to either these bear on various questions regarding consciousness, can ability to focus be quantified, do altered states of conscious affect volitional choices, can rationality be assessed for someone in an altered state of consciousness (and whether there is any way to delimit the difference between complete loss of volitional control and a reduction in the ability to think rationally).

Drugs per se without the addiction ellement is a whole other issue:

She depicted alcohol as both a celebration of life, (in the scene in which Hank relaxes with Dagny after dinner) and as the never satisftying perdition of a man living by incorrect premises (like Jimmy lying with bottles on the floor). I think she portraits it pretty much like sex. In her non fiction I remember the quote "there's no whisky glass big enough to drown all the problems of the world)

Ayn Rand personally was addicted to cigarretes but she quit when priate investigation (not the surgeon general) demonstrated its risk. She was certainly addicted to coffee, and so I am. There was a rumor about a lifelong addiction to amphetamines to wh¡ch I have to answer: 1) Murray Rothbard started this rumor, and 2) back then amphetamines were legal diet pills used widespread.

So, what's your point? Are you willing to discuss the "merits" of addiction, or the potential benefits of the next neurochemical frontier?

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Ayn Rand personally was addicted to cigarretes but she quit when priate investigation (not the surgeon general) demonstrated its risk.

Precisely because she quit immediately (and because we prefer correct spelling on this board :P), I think it is more proper to say "she regularly smoked cigarettes" rather than "was addicted to cigarretes."

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Precisely because she quit immediately (and because we prefer correct spelling on this board :P), I think it is more proper to say "she regularly smoked cigarettes" rather than "was addicted to cigarretes."

I don't agree. I'm an ex smoker. I smoked up to 3 packs a day before I quit. When I quit, I quit cold turkey. Nevertheless, I was an addict.

One can not smoke regularly without forming an addiction.

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Precisely because she quit immediately (and because we prefer correct spelling on this board :P), I think it is more proper to say "she regularly smoked cigarettes" rather than "was addicted to cigarretes."

Sorry for the spelling, I'm very strict in my mother tongue but I recognize I'm not doing enough to translate that behaviour when I use English.

On this board we prefer to speak literally as well as properly. Owning inmense respect and admiration for someone doesn't change the fact that anyone regularly smoking a pack a day is addicted to nicotine. This thread is specifically about addiction so it's perfectly proper to point that out.

I might have crossed the line mentioning Rothbard's accusation though. No comments on that.

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