Book 7 / Chapter 7
Paragraph 1 - Pleasures, Pains, and the Balance of Incontinence and Continence
Explanation - Part By Part
"With regard to the pleasures and pains and appetites and aversions arising through touch and taste, to which both self-indulgence and temperance were formerly narrowed down, it possible to be in such a state as to be defeated even by those of them which most people master, or to master even those by which most people are defeated;"
Aristotle is discussing how people respond to pleasures and pains connected to physical sensations like touch and taste—the kinds of physical desires and aversions often associated with indulgence (such as eating, drinking, or other bodily enjoyments). He points out that some individuals can lose control ("be defeated") even by temptations that the majority of people manage to handle without much difficulty. On the other hand, there are also individuals who can maintain self-control ("master") even when faced with temptations that typically overpower most people.
In essence, Aristotle is highlighting the variability in human behavior: some are unusually weak when it comes to resisting pleasure, while others demonstrate extraordinary strength in self-control. This variability ties into the broader discussion of virtues and vices, such as temperance (self-control over bodily desires) and self-indulgence (the failure to regulate these desires).
"among these possibilities, those relating to pleasures are incontinence and continence, those relating to pains softness and endurance."
Aristotle is drawing distinctions between how people handle pleasures and pains. When it comes to pleasures, he categorizes related behaviors as either incontinence (the inability to resist giving in to pleasurable desires) or continence (the ability to maintain control over those desires). On the other hand, when it comes to pains, he uses the terms softness (a kind of weakness or inability to endure pain or hardship) and endurance (the strength to withstand pain or difficulty without giving in).
Essentially, he's highlighting that how we deal with pleasure and pain falls into these contrasting categories, reflecting our levels of self-control or resilience.
"The state of most people is intermediate, even if they lean more towards the worse states."
Aristotle is saying that most people fall somewhere in the middle when it comes to self-control and handling pleasures and pains—they aren't extreme in their self-discipline, nor are they completely ruled by their desires or fears. However, he notes that many people tend to lean more toward the "worse states." This means that, on average, people are more likely to struggle with self-restraint and give in to their cravings or avoid discomfort rather than consistently act with discipline and strength. Essentially, the tendency to slip up or favor indulgence is more common than unwavering self-control.