Alcohol Education Research and Practice: A Logical Analysis of the Two Realities

Abstract

The assumptions underlying alcohol education programs, and the impact of such programs are examined from the perspectives of inferential and deductive logic. The inconclusiveness of empirical evidence concerning program effectiveness leads to the adoption of a position of “relative agnosticism,” according to which we can compensate for our state of empirical ignorance by giving greater attention to the deductive logic implied in the assumptions underlying alcohol education. Common flaws in the deductive logic of alcohol education are identified; a series of increasingly sound underlying syllogisms is proposed, leading to the establishment of (inductively and deductively) logically sound objectives and targets for alcohol education programs. A review of existing empirical evidence concerning effectiveness of alcohol education is combined with the outcome of the deductive-logical analysis, resulting in a series of explicit, realistic, recommendations for effective alcohol programming.