Book 7 / Chapter 2
Paragraph 5 - The Incontinent Man and Persuasion
Explanation - Part By Part
"Virtue too is distinguished into kinds in accordance with this difference; for we say that some of the virtues are intellectual and others moral, philosophic wisdom and understanding and practical wisdom being intellectual, liberality and temperance moral."
Aristotle is making an important distinction here between two types of virtues: intellectual virtues and moral virtues. Intellectual virtues are related to the mind and how we think, reason, or understand the world. He includes things like philosophic wisdom (deep understanding of universal truths), understanding (grasping the essence of things clearly), and practical wisdom (knowing how to act in specific situations). These virtues deal with the intellectual side of human life—our capacity to think and make decisions.
On the other hand, moral virtues are about character and behavior—how we conduct ourselves and interact with others. Examples he gives include liberality (generosity) and temperance (self-control or moderation). Moral virtues aren’t about thinking through abstract problems; they’re about cultivating good habits and patterns of behavior in daily life.
By pointing this out, Aristotle emphasizes that being a good person involves both thinking well (intellectual virtues) and acting well (moral virtues), and these two aspects of virtue are interconnected but distinct.
"For in speaking about a man's character we do not say that he is wise or has understanding but that he is good-tempered or temperate; yet we praise the wise man also with respect to his state of mind; and of states of mind we call those which merit praise virtues."
Aristotle is making an important observation about how we describe and value people's character. He points out that when we talk about a person's character, we typically use moral traits—like calling someone "good-tempered" or "temperate" (self-controlled)—rather than saying they are "wise" or "understanding." These moral qualities are seen as virtues of character, and we admire or praise people for having them.
However, Aristotle adds that intellectual qualities, like wisdom, can also be a source of praise. When someone is wise, we admire them because of their state of mind—how they think and approach the world. He then ties this idea together by saying that both moral and intellectual qualities that deserve praise fall under the broader category of "virtues." Virtues, for Aristotle, are the praiseworthy qualities of a person, whether they pertain to how they think (intellectual virtues) or how they act and feel (moral virtues).