Aristotle's Arguments Of Desire

Desire and appetite “Desire is the appetitive seeking of sweet pleasure” states Aristotle. It differs from wish and rational thinking. Desire and reason are contrary to each other. It has also been said that desire pushes a person towards quick satisfaction of the present moment, without thinking about the consequences. As opposed to wish, desire carries a biological connotation. It becomes obvious when Aristotle states that “Hunger and thirst are also desires, hunger for dry and hot, thirst for liquid and cold”. Aristotle discusses that appetite, by moving against any rational thinking is often wrong. He actually considers it as being an internal primary power actively directing the living creatures. The following statement is clear about it : “Appetite is an active process, with energy, giving a direction towards what it desires (towards the orecton); and that which is (basically) motivated and directed is the animal”.

So Aristotle’s ideas can be summed up as follows:
Appetite is an inborn, instinctual urge, seeking satisfaction physically or mentally, even in an irrational manner.
Desire is processed upon the appearance of a pleasurable body or item and it acts in a hedonistic way, disregarding logic.
Wish intrudes into the purpose of the …show more content…
Usually during psychological examinations, movements of the whole body and groups of muscles are observed and are taken into account. Aristotle states that movement is a purposeful intention of Nature, which provided animals with the advantage of moving from place to place, either in order to satisfy their desires, or to run away from a danger. Examining the relation of psycho-motor with other functions in man, Aristotle concludes that in addition to the innate impulses of appetite, man is in an advantageous position, having at his disposal the capacities of thought to direct his