Book 2 / Chapter 3
Paragraph 5 - The Influence of Pleasure and Pain on Human Actions
Explanation - Part By Part
"Again, it has grown up with us all from our infancy; this is why it is difficult to rub off this passion, engrained as it is in our life."
Aristotle is pointing out that our relationship with pleasure and pain is deeply ingrained in us from a very young age. It's not something we pick up later in life; it's a part of who we are from the start. This makes it difficult to change or "rub off" because it’s so intertwined with our experiences and growth as individuals. He’s emphasizing how foundational this connection to pleasure and pain is in shaping our behaviors and instincts.
"And we measure even our actions, some of us more and others less, by the rule of pleasure and pain."
This part is pointing out that many of our decisions and actions are guided by how much pleasure or pain we expect them to bring. Some people rely on this "rule" heavily, letting the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain dictate many choices in their lives, while others do so to a lesser extent. It emphasizes how deeply ingrained this tendency is in human behavior—that our sense of what feels good or bad becomes a sort of internal guide for how we act. This shows how much influence pleasure and pain have over our moral and practical choices.
"For this reason, then, our whole inquiry must be about these; for to feel delight and pain rightly or wrongly has no small effect on our actions."
Aristotle is emphasizing how central pleasure and pain are to our lives and decision-making. He’s pointing out that these feelings—how we experience and respond to them—play a major role in determining the kind of actions we take. If we feel pleasure and pain in the right ways—aligned with virtue and reason—it leads us toward good actions and a virtuous life. But if we experience and respond to pleasure and pain wrongly—letting them control us or guide us toward harmful choices—it can pull us toward vice and bad behavior. Essentially, our ability to navigate pleasure and pain correctly is a key factor in shaping our moral character and the ethical quality of our lives.