Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics Quote:“Ignorance of particulars (who, what, how) makes an act involuntary.”​

“Ignorance of particulars (who, what, how) makes an act involuntary.”​
— Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book III, Chapter 1
(Translated by W.D. Ross)

The Big Idea

Mistakes made in the dark aren’t fully your fault. Think of it like a video game glitch:

• Accidentally hitting a teammate because your screen froze → “I didn’t know!” → Reset and replay. 🎮
• Purposefully attacking → That’s toxic behavior. 💥

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Real-Life Scenarios

🔥 ​Test-Time Confusion
Involuntary = You used a banned calculator not knowing the rule → Teacher explains, no detention.
Voluntary = You used it after seeing the “NO CALCULATORS” sign → Zero excuses.

🤝 ​Lunchroom Oops
Involuntary = You accidentally took someone’s lunch (same bag color) → Return it = No blame.
Voluntary = You knew it wasn’t yours but took it → Theft = Big trouble.

📱 ​Social Media Misstep
Involuntary = You shared a fake meme without knowing it was false → Delete + Fact-check = Clean record.
Voluntary = You spread lies after learning the truth → Reputation crash.

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Try This Week

1. ​The “Particulars Checklist”​
   Before acting, ask:
   • “WHO does this affect?
     ​WHAT am I actually doing?
     ​HOW will it play out?”
2. ​Glitch vs. Greed Journal
   Track 3 actions:
   • Example: “Borrowed a pencil thinking it was mine → Oops! 😅” = Involuntary
   • “Ate Joe’s chips knowing they weren’t mine → Guilty. 😬”
3. ​Apology Drill
   Practice: “I didn’t realize [WHO/WHAT/HOW] → Here’s how I’ll fix it.”