在《尼各马可伦理学》一书中,亚里士多德讨论了自制与节制两个重要概念。在书中,亚里士多德没有明确界定何为自制,相反他更多地讨论了不能自制,借此说明何为自制。在他看来,自制是一种重要的品质,它处于恶与德性之间,虽然不能算是一种美德,但它是达到节制这一重要美德的中间环节。目前我国经济社会发展存在诸多问题,如人与人、人与自然之间的关系问题等,因此培养节制美德显得尤为重要。

In the book of Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle discussed the two important concepts of continence and temperance. In this book, Aristotle didn''t clearly define what continence was, on the contrary, he discussed incontinence in order to explain what continence was. In his opinion, continence is an important quality, it locates between evil and virtue, although it is not regarded as a virtue, it''s the intermedi-ate link to achieve this important virtue of temperance. At present, there are many problems in China''s economic and social developments, such as problems in the relationship between human beings, and the relationship between human and nature, therefore cultivate the virtue of t is of great importance.

亚里士多德在《尼各马可伦理学》的第一卷中通过目的论论证与功能论证得出幸福是最高的善与灵魂合乎德性的活动，而在第十卷中，幸福却变成了仅仅与智慧同一的思辨活动。这显然是两种对立的观点，体现出亚里士多德思想的不一致之处，同时也引发后世思想家对幸福是涵盖论或理智论的论争。但通过细入分析亚里士多德对幸福的目的论、功能论证及外在善的佐证，可以将其幸福观解释为一种温和的涵盖论---阶梯幸福观。在阶梯幸福观中，思辨活动是首要的幸福，而合乎德性的活动则是第二位的幸福，同时过实践生活所需要的外在善也包含其中。

In the First Volume of Ethika Nikomachea,Aristotle makes a teleology argument and function argument to demonstrate that happiness is the highest good in accordance with the virtue. But in Volume Ⅹ,happiness turns into the contemplation that identifies with wisdom.Obviously, the two contradictory opinions imply the inconsistence of Aristotle and trigger a continuous debate a-bout whether happiness is inclusive or just intellectual among later generations.However,through deep analysis into the teleology argument,function argument and external good evidence,we can in-terpret Aristotle''s view about happiness into a mild inclusive theory-multistep happiness.In multi-step happiness,contemplation is the first happiness,and the activity in accordance with virtue is the secondary,and the external good that we need to live a practical life also includes in it.