Book 7 / Chapter 8
Paragraph 4 - Incontinence and Self-Control
Explanation - Part By Part
"But there is a sort of man who is carried away as a result of passion and contrary to the right rule-a man whom passion masters so that he does not act according to the right rule, but does not master to the extent of making him ready to believe that he ought to pursue such pleasures without reserve; this is the incontinent man, who is better than the self-indulgent man, and not bad without qualification; for the best thing in him, the first principle, is preserved."
Here, Aristotle is discussing the "incontinent man," someone who gives in to their strong desires or impulses—what he calls "passions"—even when they know it's wrong, going against what they intellectually know to be the "right rule" or proper way to act. However, Aristotle makes an important distinction: while this person struggles with self-control and does the wrong thing, they haven’t completely abandoned the understanding of what's right. They know they shouldn’t indulge excessively, and they feel some inner conflict about it.
Because of this, Aristotle says the incontinent man is actually better than the "self-indulgent man." The self-indulgent man is worse because he not only gives in to base desires but also fully justifies them, believing that pursuing excessive pleasures is perfectly fine. The incontinent man, by contrast, still has the "first principle" intact—this means they retain a basic understanding of what is right and wrong, even if they fail to act on it consistently. This makes their situation less severe or less corrupt at a fundamental level.
"And contrary to him is another kind of man, he who abides by his convictions and is not carried away, at least as a result of passion."
Aristotle here introduces a contrasting type of person: someone who remains steadfast in their beliefs and convictions. Unlike the incontinent person, who allows their emotions or passions to pull them away from acting correctly, this person maintains control over their desires and actions. They are not swayed or overwhelmed by emotional impulses. Essentially, this person upholds reason and self-discipline, living in alignment with rational principles rather than being dominated by fleeting passions. This quality, Aristotle implies, represents a moral strength and a virtuous state of being.
"It is evident from these considerations that the latter is a good state and the former a bad one."
Aristotle is drawing a conclusion here about two contrasting types of people: the one who sticks to their convictions and is not swayed by passion (the "good state") and the one who is overtaken by passion and acts against reason (the "bad state"). Essentially, he is saying that being firmly guided by reason and self-control is a positive quality, while being overrun by strong desires or emotions, even if not fully corrupted like the self-indulgent person, is still a flaw. This reinforces the idea that mastery over impulses and adherence to rational principles is key to living a virtuous life.