Chapter 07
Self-Control and the Battle Within
BOOK VII ====================================================================== 1 Let us now make a fresh beginning and point out that of moral states to be avoided there are three kinds-vice, incontinence, brutishness. The contraries of two of these are evident,-one we call virtue, the other continence; to brutishness it would be most fitting to oppose superhuman virtue, a heroic and divine kind of virtue, as Homer has represented Priam saying of Hector that he was very good, For he seemed not, he, The child of a mortal man, but as one that of God's seed came. Therefore if, as they say, men become gods by…
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Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"as a brute has no vice or virtue, so neither has a god; his state is higher than virtue, and that of a brute is a different kind of state from vice."
Context: Brutishness and divinity bracket ordinary moral life
Brutishness and divinity bracket ordinary moral life.
In Today's Words:
Aristotle sketches a scale of human condition. At one extreme are people below ordinary moral agency, at the other are figures beyond common virtue. Most of us live in between, where discipline matters. The point is diagnostic: not every failure has the same structure or needs the same remedy.
"the brutish type is rarely found among men; it is found chiefly among barbarians, but some brutish qualities are also produced by disease or deformity; and we also call by this evil name those men who go beyond all ordinary standards by reason of vice."
Context: Closing note on dehumanized excess
Closing note on dehumanized excess.
In Today's Words:
Some destructive patterns are rare and extreme, appearing through severe social corruption, illness, or deformation of character. Aristotle treats them differently from ordinary weakness. In modern terms, this warns against one size moral advice. Certain behaviors need protection, treatment, and structural intervention, not just motivational speeches.
"the incontinent man, knowing that what he does is bad, does it as a result of passion, while the continent man, knowing that his appetites are bad, refuses on account of his rational principle to follow them (3) The temperate man all men call continent and disposed to endurance, while the continent man some maintain to be always temperate but others do not; and some call the self-indulgent man incontinent and the incontinent man selfindulgent indiscriminately, while others distinguish them."
Context: Knowing better but acting worse
Knowing better but acting worse.
In Today's Words:
Incontinence means doing what you already judge to be wrong because passion seizes command at the crucial moment. Aristotle distinguishes this from ignorance and from settled vice. The modern lesson is practical: decision systems must account for high emotion windows where your best principles become temporarily unusable.
"the continent man, knowing that his appetites are bad, refuses on account of his rational principle to follow them (3) The temperate man all men call continent and disposed to endurance, while the continent man some maintain to be always temperate but others do not; and some call the self-indulgent man incontinent and the incontinent man selfindulgent indiscriminately, while others distinguish them."
Context: Endurance when desire pulls against judgment
Endurance when desire pulls against judgment.
In Today's Words:
Continence is effortful obedience to reason when desire pulls in the opposite direction. Aristotle values it, but he still ranks temperance higher, because the temperate person wants the right things without inner civil war. Self management is progress; deep character formation is the more durable end.
Thematic Threads
Self-Knowledge
In This Chapter
Understanding the difference between intellectual knowledge and emotional control
Development
Building on earlier discussions of virtue, now examining why virtue is hard to practice
In Your Life:
Recognizing when you're about to make choices you'll regret while you're making them
Human Nature
In This Chapter
Accepting that moral failure often stems from weakness, not wickedness
Development
Deepening the exploration of what makes humans struggle with consistent good behavior
In Your Life:
Being more compassionate with yourself and others when good intentions meet human limitations
Emotional Intelligence
In This Chapter
Learning how different emotions (anger vs. appetite) affect our decision-making differently
Development
Introduced here as a crucial factor in moral behavior
In Your Life:
Noticing which emotions make you most likely to abandon your better judgment
Personal Growth
In This Chapter
Distinguishing between people who can improve and those who've rationalized bad behavior
Development
Evolving from abstract virtue concepts to practical change strategies
In Your Life:
Focusing energy on areas where you struggle with execution rather than understanding
Practical Wisdom
In This Chapter
Building systems that account for emotional reality rather than expecting perfect rational control
Development
Moving from theoretical ethics toward actionable life navigation
In Your Life:
Creating environments and habits that make good choices easier when emotions run high
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
What three states does Aristotle mark as morally problematic at the start of Book VII, and how are they different?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
He separates vice, incontinence, and brutishness. Vice chooses bad ends, incontinence violates one's better judgment under passion, and brutishness reflects damaged or nonhuman tendencies outside ordinary moral failure.
- 2
How does Aristotle explain the person who knows an action is wrong yet still does it?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
He says the akratic person has knowledge in a weak or inactive sense when passion surges. Desire overwhelms the practical conclusion, so action follows appetite even though universal principles are still present in speech.
- 3
Where do you see the difference between continence and temperance in Aristotle's account of desire?
application • mediumOne way to read it
The continent person feels unruly desires but obeys reason, while the temperate person has educated desires that already align with reason. In practice, one is a hard fought victory over appetite, the other is stable harmony.
- 4
Why does Aristotle warn that arguments about pleasure fail when habits and lived perceptions point the other way?
application • deepOne way to read it
He argues ethical persuasion must match experience. If someone's habits are disordered, refined arguments sound empty because felt evidence contradicts them. Reform requires retraining pleasures and pains through practice, not relying on theory alone.
- 5
What does this chapter suggest about personal responsibility when powerful impulses cloud judgment?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
Aristotle leaves room for pressure and diminished clarity, but he still assigns responsibility because character and habits are cultivated over time. We are accountable not only for single acts, but for the training that made those acts likely.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Emotional Override Points
Think about the last three times you did something you knew you shouldn't have done or avoided something you knew you should have done. For each situation, identify what emotion was running high at the time and what your rational mind actually knew was the right choice. Look for patterns in your emotional triggers and the situations where your better judgment gets hijacked.
Consider:
- •Focus on emotions like exhaustion, anger, fear, or stress rather than just 'I was being bad'
- •Notice if certain times of day, situations, or relationships make you more vulnerable to emotional override
- •Consider whether your 'failures' are more like Aristotle's weakness of will or genuine confusion about what's right
Journaling Prompt
Write about one specific emotional trigger that regularly derails your better judgment. What would a realistic system look like to help you navigate this trigger more successfully in the future?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 8: The Three Types of Friendship
After mapping inner conflict, Aristotle turns outward to friendship, the bond that sustains everyday life and civic order. The next book distinguishes friendships of utility, pleasure, and virtue, then asks why some relationships collapse quickly while others deepen into shared moral growth.
