1.
We, of Alcoholics Anonymous, are moe than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body.
This book is not merely the opinion of one person as it relates the combined experience and knowledge of more than one hundred men and women.
In the very first sentance, the authors identify themselves as alcoholics and define alcholism as a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. Using this definition, we can compare their experience to our own. Have we any hope of recovering from the state we are in?
One AA joked that they may have called the fellowship Alcoholics Anonymous because we are no longer so conspicuous.
2.
To show other alcoholics PRECISELY HOW WE RECOVERED is the main purpose of this book.
Rather than tell us what it is that we should do, the authors promise to show us how they have recovered.
Perhaps we can adopt their method of recovery. They promise they will be precise. The authors were careful when writing this book to choose the exact words to convey the ideas they intended.
The purpose of showing us how the authors recoverd is so that we may be helped by their experience. We can trust their motives.
*Definition
Precisely: accurate in every detail. Exact. Not varying in the slightest degree from the truth.
3.
For them, we hope these pages will prove so convincing that no further authentification will be necessary.
Do we need to prove true what the authors say by trying yet one more time to control our drinking or can we be convinced by comparing ourselves with them?
6.
And besides, we are sure that our way of living has its advantages for all.
Even if we are not alcoholic perhaps the authors can suggest a way of living that is more successful than the way we are living now.
8.
Being mostly business or professional folk we could not well carry on our occupations in such an event.
If established business and professional people can be alcoholic perhaps we could be also.
10.
When writing or speaking publicly about alcoholism, we urge each of our Fellowship to omit his personal name, designating himself instead as "A Member of Alcoholics Anonymous."
No one speaks for AA as a whole. This prevents well intentioned individuals from inadvertently damaging the reputation of AA.