Study Guide

The Nicomachean Ethics Book 7, Chapter 5 (1148b15-1149a24)

Book 7, Chapter 5 (1148b15-1149a24)

Aristotle shifts to a discussion of brutishness. He uses the example of women who rip unborn babies from the wombs of pregnant women and eat them. Um. What? Whoa.
Happily, this isn't the norm for the human condition. This horrifying behavior usually happens through disease or mental illness.
But there are some habits that happen naturally or from habit, like eating non-food items, self-harming, and even homosexuality (according to Aristotle) that are considered aberrant.
Those who are like this by nature do not lack self-restraint.
The same is true for those who behave brutishly through illness.
These are "outside the defining boundaries of vice."
Excessive vice is always accompanied by illness or brutishness.
Aristotle believes there are people who have despicable impulses but who don't act on them. Others are overcome by them.
When speaking of lack of self-restraint, Aristotle says we have to confine ourselves to things that licentiousness and moderation deal with.
Anything greater or lesser does not fit in this category.

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