Book 2 / Chapter 4
Paragraph 4 - The Nature of Just and Temperate Actions
Explanation - Part By Part
"Actions, then, are called just and temperate when they are such as the just or the temperate man would do;"
In this part, Aristotle is saying that actions are considered "just" or "temperate" if they resemble the kinds of actions that a just or temperate person would naturally do. In other words, the quality or "goodness" of an action is tied to its alignment with what morally virtuous people would choose to do in similar situations. He’s linking virtuous actions to the behavior of a virtuous person, rather than defining them in isolation.
"but it is not the man who does these that is just and temperate, but the man who also does them as just and temperate men do them."
Aristotle is making an important distinction here: it’s not enough to simply do actions that look just or temperate on the surface. For someone to truly be a just or temperate person, they must perform those actions in the same way a genuinely just or temperate person would. This means their actions need to come from the right internal mindset and character — they must act with understanding, intention, and consistency. Simply imitating the behavior without embodying the virtues (like doing it for selfish reasons or just by accident) doesn’t truly make someone virtuous. In short, the quality of the person’s inner motivation and character matters as much as, if not more than, the outward action itself.
"It is well said, then, that it is by doing just acts that the just man is produced, and by doing temperate acts the temperate man;"
Aristotle is emphasizing the importance of practice and habit in shaping a person's character. He’s saying that being a virtuous person—like someone who is just (fair) or temperate (self-controlled)—comes from repeatedly performing just or temperate actions. It's not enough to know what justice or temperance is in theory or to act that way once or twice; you actually become a just or temperate person by consistently practicing those behaviors. Virtue, in this view, is something you cultivate through action over time, not something you're simply born with or acquire by accident.
"without doing these no one would have even a prospect of becoming good."
Aristotle is emphasizing that becoming a good, virtuous person is not something that happens by chance or through mere intention. It requires active practice. If someone wants to be just or temperate (moderate or self-controlled), they cannot achieve it by simply understanding what justice or temperance is in theory. It’s the repeated practice of just and temperate actions that shapes a person into someone who truly embodies those virtues. Without consistently engaging in these kinds of actions, it’s impossible to even have the potential—or as Aristotle says, a “prospect”—of becoming good or virtuous. Virtue develops through habit, not passive knowledge.