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  • Aristotle's Mean Doctrine & patience
    I don't think you are apprehending the mean doctrine quite right hereMetaphysician Undercover

    From some of the discussions I am having on other threads, your statement appears quite right. I'm willing to acknowledge and correct my original comments. However, I don't believe "cowardly" and "rash" fit within the Sphere of Action/ Emotions. The opposite of cowardly would be courage, and courage is the action of doing something that others fear. I wouldn't call someone exhibiting great patience as someone doing something that others fear. I would, however, agree to call that person "good-tempered" as one surely needs a good temper to not lose their cool.

    As to your second point, I believe we've hit a false dilemma, one in which I am to blame. The question that I put up was just background for the conversation, not necessarily the actual question. The answer to that question would be highly subjective, of course, so I didn't want to post a subject that has varying answers. The discussion then should be focused around "patience" and how it fits within the mean doctrinAristotle's mean doctrine.
  • Aristotle's Mean Doctrine & patience
    But "overpatient" would probably not be interpreted as a pejorative, like "impatient" could be. Just commentsjgill

    Overpatient would appear to fit nicely in defining the excess of patience. I never really gave much thought in how it should be pejorative, but now that you mention it, it does make sense. If we are adding an element of pejoratives, then maybe "stagnant" or "of having an idled nature," would describe the excess of patience in a more pejorative or derogatory manner. In the same manner, maybe impatient doesn't adequately describe the deficiency while including the pejorative element. Perhaps
    "short-temper" or "irascibility" would be more akin. Since the Sphere of Action of emotion for patience would be anger - then it should fall naturally that the deficiency should be analogous to anger as well. What do you think?
  • Aristotle's Mean Doctrine & patience
    But you can also be patient, practice patience - as opposed to losing your cool and acting rashly out of frustration and anxiety. Or lashing out at those who "try your patience.SophistiCat

    Yes, I must concur, and that was what I concluded in my original answer, although perhaps not as eloquently written. The deliberate practice of the virtue or habit of patience is the emotional reaction that you have for whatever is forcing you to be patient. For example, having road rage because of a slow driver would be deficient while not reacting to the driver would be the virtue. But, what is the excess in a situation like that? How could someone act in the extreme opposite of road rage? Where the opposite of road rage becomes a problem instead of a good?

    Also, thank you for entertaining my mind through this isolation; the benefits of the modern world are truly marvelous.