Book 10 / Chapter 4
Paragraph 3 - The Relationship Between Sense, Activity, and Pleasure
Explanation - Part By Part
"Since every sense is active in relation to its object, and a sense which is in good condition acts perfectly in relation to the most beautiful of its objects (for perfect activity seems to be ideally of this nature; whether we say that it is active, or the organ in which it resides, may be assumed to be immaterial), it follows that in the case of each sense the best activity is that of the best-conditioned organ in relation to the finest of its objects."
Aristotle is explaining that our senses—like sight, hearing, and so on—are always engaged with something specific, their "objects" (for example, the object of sight is a visible thing). When a sense is functioning at its best (for instance, if your eyesight is sharp or your hearing is excellent), it performs its purpose in the most perfect way when it interacts with the best or most "beautiful" version of its object (like a stunning sunset for sight, or a perfect harmony for hearing). Essentially, the highest quality of sensation comes from the combination of a sense that's in its prime condition and the finest example of what it perceives. This connection between a well-functioning sense and its most excellent object creates what he calls "the best activity."
"And this activity will be the most complete and pleasant. For, while there is pleasure in respect of any sense, and in respect of thought and contemplation no less, the most complete is pleasantest, and that of a well-conditioned organ in relation to the worthiest of its objects is the most complete; and the pleasure completes the activity."
Aristotle is making an important point here about the intimate connection between activity and pleasure. Essentially, he argues that the best kind of activity—the most "complete" or fulfilling—produces the greatest experience of pleasure. This applies not just to physical senses (like sight or hearing) but also to non-physical capacities, such as thinking or contemplating.
The highest pleasure arises when two conditions are met:
1. The organ or faculty performing the activity (like eyes for seeing or the mind for thinking) is in excellent condition—it’s functioning at its best.
2. The object it’s engaging with is of the highest quality or "worthiest" (like a beautiful sunset for sight or a profound idea for contemplation).
When these two factors align—a well-functioning faculty engaging with an excellent object—the activity reaches its peak level of fulfillment, and this peak state is naturally accompanied by pleasure. Crucially, Aristotle says that pleasure isn’t something separate from this activity but plays a role in completing it. In other words, pleasure crowns or perfects the experience of the activity, enhancing its richness and value.
"But the pleasure does not complete it in the same way as the combination of object and sense, both good, just as health and the doctor are not in the same way the cause of a man's being healthy."
Aristotle is drawing a distinction here about how pleasure relates to an activity. He says that pleasure doesn't "complete" or perfect an activity in the same way as the combination of a good object and a well-functioning sense organ does. For instance, seeing something beautiful relies on having good eyesight (a proper sense organ) and a visually appealing object (a good object). This combination inherently leads to a "complete" experience of seeing.
However, pleasure operates differently. It doesn't act in the same essential way as, say, the relationship between health and a doctor, where a doctor's expertise might directly cause or enable improved health. Instead, Aristotle suggests that pleasure is a kind of natural "bonus" or enhancement that arises when an activity is performed at its best. It doesn't exist as a direct requirement, like good eyesight for seeing, but as something that supervenes or accompanies that excellence in activity.
"(That pleasure is produced in respect to each sense is plain; for we speak of sights and sounds as pleasant. It is also plain that it arises most of all when both the sense is at its best and it is active in reference to an object which corresponds; when both object and perceiver are of the best there will always be pleasure, since the requisite agent and patient are both present.)"
Aristotle is explaining that pleasure is connected to all of our senses—like sight and hearing—because we often describe things we see or hear as being enjoyable or pleasant. However, the intensity or quality of that pleasure depends on two key factors:
1. The condition of the sense (e.g., how well our eyes see or our ears hear).
2. The quality of the object (e.g., how beautiful the sight is or how harmonious the sound is).
When both are at their best—when the sense is in its optimal state and the object is especially beautiful or excellent—pleasure naturally arises. Aristotle is saying that the interaction between a well-functioning "perceiver" (our senses) and a highly worthy "object" (what we perceive) will always result in pleasure, because these two align perfectly to create an ideal experience. The "agent" (object) and "patient" (sense) are both functioning at their peak, making the experience maximally pleasurable.
"Pleasure completes the activity not as the corresponding permanent state does, by its immanence, but as an end which supervenes as the bloom of youth does on those in the flower of their age."
Aristotle is saying that pleasure adds to an activity, but not in a way that defines or fundamentally forms the activity itself. Instead, it’s like an extra layer, a finishing touch that naturally occurs when an activity is functioning at its best. To help clarify, he uses the comparison of the "bloom of youth"—the natural glow or vibrancy that appears in a young person at their physical prime. This bloom doesn't create their youth or determine its essence, but it beautifully enhances what is already there. Similarly, pleasure emerges as a kind of bonus or culmination when an activity is performed in an excellent and harmonious way, without being the activity’s core essence.
"So long, then, as both the intelligible or sensible object and the discriminating or contemplative faculty are as they should be, the pleasure will be involved in the activity; for when both the passive and the active factor are unchanged and are related to each other in the same way, the same result naturally follows."
Aristotle is explaining how pleasure arises when everything involved in an activity is in its optimal state. Specifically, he’s saying that if both the "object" (something we perceive or think about) and the "faculty" (our ability to perceive or contemplate it) are functioning as they should—meaning they are in good condition and aligned with one another—then the activity itself will naturally include pleasure.
This occurs because pleasure isn't something separate or external that gets added to the activity; it’s something that naturally accompanies a well-executed activity when everything is in harmony. For example, when you appreciate a beautiful sunset (the object) and your vision (the faculty) is clear and functioning well, the experience is not only complete but also inherently pleasurable. This happens as a kind of natural outcome, as long as the "doer" and the "thing being done" remain in sync and in their best possible states.