What Would You Do Alone in a Cage with Nothing but Cocaine?: A Philosophy of Addiction

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Hanna Pickard Marco Venniro

What Would You Do Alone in a Cage with Nothing but Cocaine?

Name: What Would You Do Alone in a Cage with Nothing but Cocaine?
Price: 49.99 AUD
Availability: OutOfStock
ISBN: 9780691253534

A Philosophy of Addiction

Hanna Pickard, Marco Venniro

$49.99

Hardback

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English

Miscellaneous
01 May 2026

Philosophy; Physiological & neuro-psychology, biopsychology; Cognition & cognitive psychology; Health psychology; Addiction & therapy; Neurosciences

A revolutionary new paradigm for understanding addiction.

Why do people with addiction use drugs self-destructively? Why don't they quit out of self-concern? Why does the rat in the experiment, alone in a cage, press the lever again and again for cocaine

to the point of death? In this pathbreaking book, Hanna Pickard proposes a new paradigm for understanding the puzzle of addiction. For too long, our thinking has been hostage to a false dichotomy: either addiction is a brain disease, or it is a moral failing. Pickard argues that it is neither, and that both models stifle addiction research and fail people who need help.

Drawing on her expertise as an academic philosopher and her clinical work in a therapeutic community, Pickard explores the meaning of drugs for people with addiction and the diverse factors that keep them using despite the costs. People use drugs to cope with suffering

but also to self-harm, or even to die. Some identify as 'addicts', while others are in denial or struggle with cravings and self-control. Social, cultural, and economic circumstances are crucial to explaining addiction

but brain pathology may also matter. By integrating addiction science with philosophy, clinical practice, and the psychology and voices of people with addiction themselves, Pickard shows why there is no one-size-fits-all theory or ethics of addiction. The result is a heterogeneous and humanistic paradigm for understanding and treating addiction, and a fresh way of thinking about responsibility, blame, and relationships with people who use drugs.

By: Hanna Pickard
Illustrated by: Marco Venniro
Imprint: Miscellaneous
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9780691253534
ISBN 10: 0691253536
Pages: 352
Publication Date: 01 May 2026
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Hanna Pickard is Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Bioethics and Krieger-Eisenhower Professor at Johns Hopkins University.

Reviews for What Would You Do Alone in a Cage with Nothing but Cocaine?: A Philosophy of Addiction

""Pickard convincingly shows that while the diseased brain model aimed to destigmatize addiction, it has largely failed to do so while amplifying some addicts’ pessimism about recovery. Addiction researchers and clinicians will be enlightened."" * Publishers Weekly * ""Anyone confronting addiction would do well to read Hanna Pickard’s new book, which should change how ordinary people and clinicians think about it. One important insight is that often a cure for addiction depends on the addict finding a new identity, other than that of being an addict. This is a book by a philosopher, based on experience in a therapeutic setting, that has the actual potential to save lives.""---Brian Leiter, Leiter Reports