Book 3 / Chapter 2
Paragraph 6 - The Distinction Between Choice and Opinion
Explanation - Part By Part
"Now with opinion in general perhaps no one even says it is identical. But it is not identical even with any kind of opinion; for by choosing what is good or bad we are men of a certain character, which we are not by holding certain opinions."
Aristotle is emphasizing that choice and opinion are fundamentally different. While opinions are about what we think—what we believe to be true or false—they don't define who we are as people. On the other hand, choices directly reflect our character. When we make choices about what is good or bad, those decisions show what kind of person we are, morally and ethically. Simply holding an opinion, however, does not carry the same weight in defining our character.
"And we choose to get or avoid something good or bad, but we have opinions about what a thing is or whom it is good for or how it is good for him; we can hardly be said to opine to get or avoid anything."
In this part, Aristotle highlights a fundamental difference between "choice" and "opinion." He explains that when we choose something, we are actively deciding to pursue or avoid something we perceive as good or bad—it’s about taking action. On the other hand, when we form an opinion, we are merely making judgments or assessments about facts, such as understanding what something is, who might benefit from it, or how it might be good for them. Opinions are more intellectual and observational, while choices are practical and action-driven. He emphasizes that opinions are not about directly deciding to act—they're more about evaluating or thinking, not doing.
"And choice is praised for being related to the right object rather than for being rightly related to it, opinion for being truly related to its object."
Aristotle is drawing a distinction between choice and opinion by focusing on what makes each of them commendable.
- A choice is praised when it is directed toward the right object, meaning it aims at something good or appropriate. It’s not just about how the choice is made, but whether it is oriented toward the proper goal or result. In simpler terms, what matters in choice is what you are choosing (its object).
- An opinion, on the other hand, is praised based on whether it is true—whether it accurately reflects reality. Here, the focus is not on what you’re deciding to do or aim for, but on whether your understanding or judgment about something is correct.
So, while choice is more about aiming at good actions or outcomes, opinion is about having an accurate perspective or belief. These are judged by different standards: choice by its connection to morality or goodness, and opinion by its connection to truth.
"And we choose what we best know to be good, but we opine what we do not quite know; and it is not the same people that are thought to make the best choices and to have the best opinions, but some are thought to have fairly good opinions, but by reason of vice to choose what they should not."
Aristotle is making an important distinction here between choice and opinion. When it comes to choosing, we actively decide based on what we believe or truly know to be good. Choice reflects our character and values because it involves deliberate action and intention. On the other hand, having an opinion is more about forming a belief or judgment about something, even if we don't fully understand or "quite know" it. Opinions don't necessarily lead to action or reflect who we are as people in the same way choices do.
Furthermore, Aristotle points out that the ability to make good choices doesn't always align with having good opinions. For example, a person might hold fairly reasonable or "good" opinions about what is right or beneficial, but due to personal flaws (vice), they might still end up choosing poorly, going against those opinions. This underscores that good choice-making involves more than just intellectual understanding—it requires moral character and the will to act rightly.
"If opinion precedes choice or accompanies it, that makes no difference; for it is not this that we are considering, but whether it is identical with some kind of opinion."
In this part, Aristotle makes it clear that he is not concerned with the question of whether opinions come before or happen alongside choices. That timing is irrelevant to the discussion. What he’s trying to clarify is whether choice itself can be considered the same thing as a type of opinion. He aims to draw the distinction between these two concepts (choice and opinion) to ensure there's no confusion. His main point is that even if opinions are involved in the process leading up to a choice or co-exist with it, the two are fundamentally different.