[benj111]

"I believe we would be prudent to not give in to substances/habits that form addictions"

I take it you're referring to abstention?

That would be very hard to do given the wide variety of addictions (everything?)

Think of addiction as a symptom rather than a problem in its own right, the article briefly goes there by revealing that one of the men was stressed.

[selflesssieve]

First, I apologize, I didn't word my first sentence as syntactically clear as I realized. Give in is a bit of a loose term here. Instead I would say that a person should recognize their habits changing due to the substance and they would avoid over indulging before it was too late. A period of abstinence may be necessary here to reset tolerances/ align short term and long term goals.

Second, for your last point, the man seeks a coping mechanism for his stress, but does he lack agency and therefore colloquial willpower when he decides which cooping mechanism he chooses? (That's an up in the air question for a more generalized form.)

[benj111]

First paragraph, agreed (excepting highly addictive drugs).

I suppose you could argue someone were searching for agency by doing a self destructive thing. I don't think willpower comes into it. Although I would agree willpower and agency are related insofar as if you don't feel you have agency, its probably hard to show much willpower.

[selflesssieve]

Yes, but why didn't they choose to do something positive and stress relieving? That is where I believe agency comes in to the amassing of willpower.

But I guess this is why everyone is having a back and forth on here. It arises from ones own philosophical belief on external vs internal loci of control.

[benj111]

Plus peoples own life experiences, and temperaments!