Summary of Carl Erik Fisher's The Urge

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview: #1 Addiction is a terrifying breakdown of reason. People struggling with addiction say they want to stop, but they are confused, incredulous, and afraid. They are afraid because they cannot seem to change, despite the fact that they watch themselves do the very things they don t want to do.#2 The first example of addiction in history is found in the Rig Veda, an ancient compilation of Vedic Sanskrit hymns from India. In the poem known as the Gambler s Lament, a man struggles unsuccessfully against his desire to play at dice.#3 Addiction is not a tumor or a bacterium, but a set of ideas. It is not outside of the historical process, but rather an idea that has been adopted recently. The term addiction was not adopted until recent centuries, but the concept of addiction can be traced back to the ancient Greeks.#4 Akrasia is the act of acting against your better judgment. It is self-evident that people sometimes act against their better judgment, and this is due to the fact that they are constantly being buffeted by desires and aversions.