Distinguished University Scholar and Professor of Philosophy Edward Slingerland makes a bold claim in his new book in that overall and over the course of history, alcohol has produced net positive benefits for both individuals and cultures, or our taste for it would have been eliminated by genetic or cultural evolution (given its heavy costs). We would not have civilization without intoxication, because alcohol provides the necessary lubrication to our complex social needs. In Slingerland’s words, “It is no accident that, in the brutal competition of cultural groups from which civilizations emerged, it is the drinkers, smokers and trippers who emerged triumphant”.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55643282-drunk

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