How can you knowingly do the wrong thing on purpose?

Socrates insisted nobody truly acts against their own best judgement; if you do wrong, you must not really have known it was wrong at the time. Aristotle thought this was obviously false: people eat the cake while fully believing they shouldn't, a state he called akrasia. The puzzle of how clear-eyed knowledge and contrary action coexist has outlasted both of them.

— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics — Book VII, 4th century BC

One credited idea per card. No filler. Swipe the rest in Savvy.

Keep swiping — it's free Works right in your browser. No app store needed.

More Philosophy

All Philosophy cards →
More from Aristotle →

Five ideas worth knowing, every week

The week's best cards and a puzzle, credited as always. Free, unsubscribe any time.