Book 3 / Chapter 2
Paragraph 2 - Distinction Between Choice and Voluntary Action
Explanation - Part By Part
"Choice, then, seems to be voluntary, but not the same thing as the voluntary; the latter extends more widely."
Aristotle is pointing out that while choice and voluntary action are related, they are not identical concepts. Voluntary action is a broader category—it includes all actions we do willingly or intentionally, without being forced or acting out of ignorance. However, not all voluntary actions involve a deliberate, considered choice. Choice, as he will later explain, requires a deeper level of thought or reasoning, making it a narrower, more specific subset of voluntary actions.
"For both children and the lower animals share in voluntary action, but not in choice, and acts done on the spur of the moment we describe as voluntary, but not as chosen."
Aristotle is making a distinction between voluntary actions and choice. He points out that while children and animals can perform voluntary actions (things they do on purpose rather than being forced), they don't actually make "choices" in the full sense of the term. Why? Because real choice involves deliberate thinking and reasoning about options, which children and animals lack the capacity to fully engage in.
Additionally, he explains that things done spontaneously—on impulse or in the heat of the moment—are voluntary in the sense that they weren't forced upon someone, but they don't qualify as "chosen" because there was no careful or intentional decision-making process involved. Choice requires more than just acting on instinct or immediate desire; it involves conscious consideration beforehand.