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I Treated Myself Like I Knew I Would: Proleptic Shame and Recovery from Addiction

This paper aims to identify “proleptic shame,” which is closely related to Bernard Williams’ concept of proleptic blame, and to argue that proleptic shame can be beneficial to recovery from addiction. Understanding proleptic shame is meant to illuminate the moral complexity of our relationships with ourselves – particularly our recognition of our own shortcomings and vulnerabilities, our attempts to predict our own future behavior, and our desires for change. Shame often plays a significant role in that complexity, for better and for worse. I will also contrast proleptic shame with other forms of shame that have received significant criticism in the moral psychology literature, and which may also be detrimental in the context of addiction and recovery.

► this event is hybrid. Join in person at the Centre for Ethics (Larkin building, room 200) or online here.

Larisa Svirsky

Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Toronto

Wed, Oct 23, 2024
12:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Centre for Ethics, University of Toronto
200 Larkin