Book 7 / Chapter 12
Paragraph 6 - The Non-Artistry of Pleasure
Explanation - Part By Part
"The fact that no pleasure is the product of any art arises naturally enough; there is no art of any other activity either, but only of the corresponding faculty;"
Aristotle is pointing out that pleasure does not directly come from an art or skill itself, but rather from the activity that the art enables or facilitates. For example, a specific art or skill (like playing music, painting, or crafting) doesn't produce the pleasure directly; instead, it equips you with the ability or "faculty" to engage in the action that leads to pleasure. The emphasis here is that any given art or skill is tied to the ability to act, not to the feeling of pleasure itself. The joy comes through the activity, not from the art as an isolated construct.
"though for that matter the arts of the perfumer and the cook are thought to be arts of pleasure."
In this specific part, Aristotle is pointing out an interesting exception to the general idea that no art (or skill) is directly about creating pleasure itself. While most arts focus on producing something external (like a building for architecture or health for medicine), people often consider certain arts—such as perfumery and cooking—as being uniquely tied to pleasure. They're not just about creating something functional (like food for survival or scents for masking odors); they're intentionally crafted to bring sensory enjoyment to people.
Aristotle acknowledges this perception, but he's also likely encouraging us to think deeper: Are these "arts of pleasure" just about gratification, or do they serve a higher or more meaningful purpose beyond immediate pleasure?