Book 3 / Chapter 5
Paragraph 5 - Voluntary Vices and Responsibility
Explanation - Part By Part
"But not only are the vices of the soul voluntary, but those of the body also for some men, whom we accordingly blame; while no one blames those who are ugly by nature, we blame those who are so owing to want of exercise and care."
Aristotle is pointing out that just as the flaws of the soul (like being unjust or self-indulgent) are voluntary because they result from a person's actions and choices, certain flaws of the body are also voluntary and subject to blame. Specifically, he draws a distinction between physical traits that are outside of a person's control—like being naturally unattractive—and those that result from neglect or poor decisions, such as failing to take care of oneself through exercise or proper attention. The idea is that when the cause of the flaw is within our control, blame becomes appropriate. This draws a parallel between moral character and physical well-being, underscoring the responsibility people bear for the consequences of their own choices.
"So it is, too, with respect to weakness and infirmity; no one would reproach a man blind from birth or by disease or from a blow, but rather pity him, while every one would blame a man who was blind from drunkenness or some other form of self-indulgence."
Aristotle is making a clear distinction between circumstances that are beyond someone's control and those that arise from their own choices. For example, if someone is blind due to factors like being born that way, an accident, or an illness, people naturally feel sympathy for them because it’s not their fault. However, if someone becomes blind because of decisions like excessive drinking or indulging in a harmful lifestyle, this blindness is seen as their own responsibility—and they are therefore blamed for it. Aristotle uses this comparison to show that we hold people accountable for the consequences of their voluntary actions, especially when those actions lead to harm or personal defects.
"Of vices of the body, then, those in our own power are blamed, those not in our power are not. And if this be so, in the other cases also the vices that are blamed must be in our own power."
Aristotle is making the point that we tend to blame people only for things that they have control over. When it comes to physical flaws or "vices of the body," we don't criticize someone for something they couldn't help—like being born with a condition or suffering from an accident. Instead, we attribute fault when the condition is the result of their own choices or neglect, such as poor health caused by excessive drinking or lack of self-discipline.
From this analogy, Aristotle argues that the same reasoning applies to moral shortcomings or character flaws. If a person is blamed for a moral vice like selfishness, injustice, or lack of self-control, it must be because those vices come from their own voluntary actions or decisions. If they were completely outside their control, it wouldn't make sense to assign blame. In other words: responsibility—and therefore blame—presupposes the ability to choose differently.