Anonymous Philosopher
Recovery from a philosophical perspective, and
philosophical perspective on recovery
I am a philosopher in recovery–from addiction and from Complex-PTSD. I’ve started this page to tell my story, and to send thoughts about recovery out into the ether for anyone who might like to read them.
The Blog
I’ll try to keep this short…
Progress, not perfection
You’re right, it has been a long time since I’ve written. Because I have yet to develop healthy coping skills, I spend most of each day trying to negotiate between warring factions in my brain. This is good news, because it means that I’m relying less on unhealthy coping skills, most notably drinking (which I’m…
The Twelve Steps
It continually surprises me how many secular A.A.-ers and fellowships remain beholden to the Twelve Steps. They may reject certain theistic ideas about an omnipotent God, but adhere to the Steps with religious zeal nonetheless. My surprise is a matter of perspective, to be sure. I’m not just atheist or agnostic. I’m an out-and-out non-believer,…
The 13th Tradition: Thou Shall Not Criticize A.A.
I have been scolded, warned, and threatened for saying and writing what I think about Alcoholics Anonymous. In all cases, what I have been told boils down to: You shouldn’t criticize a program that has helped millions of people stay sober. Well, why not? First, let me dismiss one kind of counter-argument. One might respond…
Critique of AA Ideology
Sometimes the language and beliefs of “traditional AA” bug me. So I critically analyze them and come up with alternatives. I post the results here.
The Anonymous Philosopher 