Book 3 / Chapter 11
Paragraph 1 - The Nature and Excess of Appetites
Explanation - Part By Part
"Of the appetites some seem to be common, others to be peculiar to individuals and acquired; e.g. the appetite for food is natural, since every one who is without it craves for food or drink, and sometimes for both, and for love also (as Homer says) if he is young and lusty; but not every one craves for this or that kind of nourishment or love, nor for the same things."
Aristotle is distinguishing between two types of desires or appetites: those that are common and natural to all humans, and those that are individual and acquired. For instance, the need for food and drink is universal and driven by nature—anyone who is hungry or thirsty will feel the urge to satiate those needs. Similarly, young people might have natural desires for love or intimacy, as Homer poetically describes. These are fundamental cravings tied to human survival and vitality.
However, while the basic need for nourishment or love is natural and shared by everyone, the specific preferences for particular kinds of food, drink, or forms of love are individual and shaped by one's personal experiences, culture, and lifestyle. Your unique taste for a specific dish, drink, or romantic interest is not universally shared, reflecting how desires can be "acquired" and personalized beyond the natural level.
"Hence such craving appears to be our very own. Yet it has of course something natural about it; for different things are pleasant to different kinds of people, and some things are more pleasant to every one than chance objects."
This section highlights that while certain desires or cravings seem uniquely personal or individual ("our very own"), they are still partly rooted in human nature. In other words, even personal preferences are influenced by the basic, natural tendency to find certain things enjoyable. However, what pleases one person may differ from another because preferences are shaped by individual traits, habits, or experiences. At the same time, some pleasures are universally appealing to nearly everyone—more so than random or "chance" experiences—indicating an underlying shared aspect of human nature in what we find enjoyable.
"Now in the natural appetites few go wrong, and only in one direction, that of excess; for to eat or drink whatever offers itself till one is surfeited is to exceed the natural amount, since natural appetite is the replenishment of one's deficiency."
Aristotle is pointing out that when it comes to natural appetites (such as hunger and thirst), most people do not make major mistakes because these desires are grounded in basic human needs. However, when individuals do go wrong with these natural appetites, it’s usually in the direction of excess. For example, instead of eating or drinking just enough to satisfy a natural deficiency (like hunger or thirst), some people overindulge and consume far more than they need. This disrupts the balance that these appetites are supposed to address—they exist to "replenish" us, not to overwhelm or harm us by turning into gluttony or overconsumption.
"Hence these people are called belly-gods, this implying that they fill their belly beyond what is right. It is people of entirely slavish character that become like this."
Aristotle is using the term "belly-gods" to criticize people who overindulge in food and drink to the point of excess. These individuals prioritize the pleasures of eating and drinking far beyond what is reasonable or necessary, effectively worshiping their physical desires as if their belly is their "god." According to Aristotle, this kind of behavior is degrading and reflects a slavish character—a mindset that is overly driven by base, animalistic instincts rather than reason, self-control, or higher pursuits. It shows a lack of discipline and a failure to rise above mere bodily indulgence, which he views as unworthy of a human being.
"But with regard to the pleasures peculiar to individuals many people go wrong and in many ways. For while the people who are 'fond of so and so' are so called because they delight either in the wrong things, or more than most people do, or in the wrong way, the self-indulgent exceed in all three ways; they both delight in some things that they ought not to delight in (since they are hateful), and if one ought to delight in some of the things they delight in, they do so more than one ought and than most men do."
Aristotle is discussing how people can stray from what is considered reasonable or virtuous when it comes to seeking personal pleasures. Specifically, he contrasts the "natural appetites" (like hunger or thirst, which are tied to basic human needs) with more individualized or acquired pleasures that vary from person to person.
Here, he explains that self-indulgent individuals go wrong in three ways:
1. They find pleasure in things that one ought not to enjoy—things that are harmful, inappropriate, or disgraceful ("hateful").
2. Even when it’s okay to enjoy something, they do so to an excessive degree—beyond what is necessary or acceptable.
3. They take pleasure in these things more than most people do, showing an extreme or immoderate attachment.
Essentially, self-indulgence involves both a poor choice of what to find pleasure in and a failure to practice moderation. This obsessive pursuit of excessive or improper pleasures goes against the balance and rationality that Aristotle sees as key to living a virtuous and fulfilling life.