Ética a Nicómaco: Tradução, Prefácio, Notas e Glossário

The disposition of the environment is in tension with the guiding sense, which avoids the pathological excesses and defects that pervert our capacity for action. Action is possible, but without ever altering the inalienable conditions of the human being. Humans are always exposed throughout their lives to limit cases, to particular and concrete circumstances. These situations are defined by the affective or emotional impact they cause. Affections are manifested by their intensity, by excess and by defect, and they always force spontaneous reactions. But a spontaneous reaction as a natural reaction does not a priori define a character, because it may in fact have no connection with the principle of action and thus not result from any sense of direction.