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Aristotle · Great Ethics §1.15.1-1.15.2

Definition of Force and the Scope of Necessity

Passage 17 of 71 · Greek

Summary

The author defines 'the forced' as actions whose cause is external, and then discusses 'the necessary,' arguing that it does not apply to actions done for pleasure, but rather to cases where one is forced by external circumstances to accept a loss to avoid a greater one.

§1.15.1τοῦ οὖν βιαίου οὗτος ἡμῖν ἔστω ὁ ὁρισμός, ὧν ἐκτός ἐστιν ἡ αἰτία, ὑφ᾿ ἧς βιάζονται πράττειν (ὧν δ᾿ ἐντὸς καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἡ αἰτία, οὐ βία)·
Therefore, let this be our definition of the forced: those things of which the cause is external, by which people are forced to act (whereas those of which the cause is internal and in themselves are not forced).
πάλιν δ᾿ ὑπὲρ ἀνάγκης καὶ τοῦ ἀναγκαίου λεκτέον.
And again, we must speak about necessity and the necessary.
τὸ δὲ ἀναγκαῖον οὐ πάντως οὐδ᾿ ἐν παντὶ λεκτέον ἐστίν, οἷον ὅσα ἡδονῆς ἕνεκεν πράττομεν.
But the necessary is not to be spoken of in every case nor in everything, such as all the things we do for the sake of pleasure.
εἰ γάρ τις λέγοι ὅτι ἠναγκάσθην τὴν τοῦ φίλου γυναῖκα διαφθεῖραι ὑπὸ τῆς ἡδονῆς, ἄτοπος ἂν εἴη.
For if someone should say, "I was forced by pleasure to corrupt my friend's wife," he would be absurd.
§1.15.2τὸ γὰρ ἀναγκαῖον οὐκ ἐν παντί, ἀλλ᾿ ἤδη ἐν τοῖς ἐκτός, οἷον ὃς ἂν καταβλάπτηται ἀντικαταλλαττόμενός τι ἄλλο μεῖζον ἀναγκαζόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν πραγμάτων.
For the necessary is not in everything, but already in external circumstances, as for example when someone is damaged, exchanging it for something else greater, being forced by the circumstances.
οἷον ἠναγκάσθην συντονώτερον βαδίσαι εἰς ἀγρόν· εἰ γὰρ μή, ἀπολωλότʼ ἂν εὗρον τὰ ἐν ἀγρῷ. ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἄρα τὸ ἀναγκαῖον.
For instance, "I was forced to walk more rapidly to my estate; for otherwise, I would have found the things on the estate ruined." It is in such circumstances, then, that the necessary is found.

Notes

  1. 1.15.1ὧν — The relative pronoun ὧν (genitive plural) functions partitively here, referring to actions or things ("of those things which...").
  2. 1.15.2ἀντικαταλλαττόμενος — The present participle ἀντικαταλλαττόμενος modifies the main verb καταβλάπτηται, indicating the attendant circumstance or means of exchange ("exchanging it for something else greater").
  3. 1.15.2ἀπολωλότʼ ἂν εὗρον — The verb εὗρον accompanied by ἄν forms the apodosis of a past contrary-to-fact condition, with εἰ γὰρ μή representing the protasis. ἀπολωλότα (perfect participle neuter plural accusative) functions as a predicative participle specifying the state of τὰ ἐν ἀγρῷ ("I would have found the things in the field ruined").

Cite this passage

Aristotle, Great Ethics §1.15.1-1.15.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg022.humanitext-grc1:1.15.1-1.15.2

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