Book 6 / Chapter 1
Paragraph 1 - The Nature of the Right Rule
Explanation - Part By Part
"Since we have previously said that one ought to choose that which is intermediate, not the excess nor the defect, and that the intermediate is determined by the dictates of the right rule, let us discuss the nature of these dictates."
Aristotle is reminding us of an important point he's been building up: in life, we should aim for a balanced "middle ground" instead of going to extremes—neither doing too much (excess) nor too little (defect). This "middle ground" is what he calls the intermediate, and how we determine what's truly balanced or reasonable depends on a guiding principle, referred to as the right rule. Now, he’s setting up the next step in his argument, where he will dive deeper into what these guiding principles or rules actually are and how they apply to living virtuously.
"In all the states of character we have mentioned, as in all other matters, there is a mark to which the man who has the rule looks, and heightens or relaxes his activity accordingly, and there is a standard which determines the mean states which we say are intermediate between excess and defect, being in accordance with the right rule."
Aristotle is saying that in all aspects of our character (like virtues or moral qualities), there is an ideal "target" or goal that a wise person uses as their guide. This "target" helps them figure out when to take action with more intensity (heighten) or less intensity (relax) to maintain balance. This balance, which he refers to as the "mean," avoids extremes: it's neither too much (excess) nor too little (defect). The right balance aligns with what he calls the "right rule," a kind of guiding principle or standard that ensures our choices and actions are properly measured.
"But such a statement, though true, is by no means clear; for not only here but in all other pursuits which are objects of knowledge it is indeed true to say that we must not exert ourselves nor relax our efforts too much nor too little, but to an intermediate extent and as the right rule dictates;"
Aristotle is acknowledging that while it’s true we should aim for balance (the "intermediate extent") in our actions and choices according to the "right rule," this advice alone is too vague. Simply saying, "Don’t overdo it or underdo it, just do the right amount," doesn't really help us understand how to find that right balance or what the "right rule" actually is. The idea is valid, but it’s not practical knowledge unless we clarify what it specifically looks like in different situations or areas of life.
"but if a man had only this knowledge he would be none the wiser e.g. we should not know what sort of medicines to apply to our body if some one were to say 'all those which the medical art prescribes, and which agree with the practice of one who possesses the art'."
Aristotle is pointing out that just giving a general truth or rule is not enough for practical decision-making. For example, imagine someone says, "Take medicine that doctors recommend." While this is technically correct, it’s not helpful unless you know which specific medicine or how to apply it in your particular situation. In the same way, just saying, “Act in moderation according to the right rule” isn’t practically useful until we define what that rule is and how it applies to different situations. Knowledge needs to be actionable and specific to be truly meaningful.
"Hence it is necessary with regard to the states of the soul also not only that this true statement should be made, but also that it should be determined what is the right rule and what is the standard that fixes it."
Aristotle is pointing out that it's not enough to simply say that we should aim for a balanced, "intermediate" state between extremes (like excess and deficiency) when it comes to our actions, emotions, or character. While this general idea is correct, it doesn't actually help us figure out how to find that balance in practice. To make this concept useful, we also need to understand what the "right rule" is—that is, the guiding principle or standard that helps us identify what this balanced, intermediate state looks like in specific situations. Without this clearer understanding, the idea remains too vague to guide real-life decisions about how to act or live well.