Incontinence is used in Medicine and Philosophy.
Medicine[]
Incontinence is the lack of voluntary control of excretory functions; the term is a contraction of a complete expression, such as "incontinence of urine" or "incontinence of feces".
See also[]
- Urinary incontinence, the involuntary excretion of urine
- Fecal incontinence, the inability to control one's bowels
Philosophy[]
Incontinence ("a want of continence or self-restraint") is often used by philosophers to translate the Greek term Akrasia (Ακράσια). Often used to refer to a lacking in moderation or self-control, especially related to sexual desire. [1]
Aristotle in Book VII of Nicomachean Ethics described incontinence as knowing virtue, but not having habituated it to control passion. For example: Though I know courage is a virtue and understand the benefit to my situation, I am a coward because I have not habituated courage and can't control of my fear. [Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics, Book VII][1]
References[]
- ↑ dictionary.com - incontinence