Temperance, in its modern meaning, refers to the practice of moderation or choosing not to act in certain ways. It often involves avoiding harmful actions, such as holding back from revenge by showing mercy and forgiveness, avoiding pride by being humble and modest, avoiding overindulgence in things like luxury or spending too much money, avoiding eating or drinking too much, and avoiding anger or strong desires by staying calm and balanced. Temperance and self-control are similar but different. Self-control means resisting unwise desires when they arise. Temperance means not having those unwise desires in the first place because a person has developed good character that leads to wise choices. Aristotle compared temperance to a city with good laws, while a lack of self-control is like a city with good laws that are not followed.
Temperance has been viewed as a virtue by religious leaders, philosophers, and psychologists, especially those in the field of positive psychology. It has been discussed for many years in both religious and philosophical traditions. It is usually described as controlling excess and is shown through traits like chastity, modesty, humility, self-regulation, hospitality, proper behavior, abstinence, and forgiveness. Each of these traits involves limiting strong impulses, such as sexual desire, vanity, or anger. In classical art, temperance is often shown as a woman pouring water from one container to another. It is one of the four main virtues in Western thought and appears in Greek philosophy, Christianity, and Eastern traditions like Buddhism and Hinduism.
Temperance is one of six key virtues listed in the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths, along with wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, and transcendence. The word "temperance" can also mean avoiding alcohol entirely, as seen in the temperance movement, or it can mean drinking alcohol in moderation.
Philosophical perspectives
There are two ancient Greek words that have been translated as "temperance" in English. The first, sôphrosune, mostly meant "self-restraint." The second, enkrateia, was a word created during Aristotle’s time to mean "control over oneself" or "self-discipline." Enkrateia appears three times in the Bible, where it was translated as "temperance" in the King James version.
The modern meaning of temperance has changed since it was first used. In Latin, tempero meant restraint (from force or anger) but also referred to balancing or mixing things, such as temperature or compounds. This is why the phrase "to temper a sword" means the process of heating and cooling metal when making a blade. The Latin word also described governing and controlling, likely in a moderate way (not using too much force).
Temperance was an important virtue in ancient Athens, as taught by Plato. He considered sôphrosune (self-restraint) one of the four key virtues for an ideal society. In one of his early writings, Charmides, Plato tried to explain temperance but did not reach a clear definition.
Aristotle discussed both temperance and self-control in his system of virtue ethics. He limited temperance to controlling bodily pleasures and defined it as "a mean with regard to pleasures," different from self-indulgence. Like courage, temperance is a virtue that helps manage "the irrational parts of our nature" (fear for courage, desire for temperance). His ideas are found in Nicomachean Ethics, Book III, chapters 10–12, where he writes:
"Temperance is a habit learned through practice. It is a state of character, not a feeling or ability, and it means choosing the middle ground between excess and lack. This middle ground is hard to reach and is understood through feeling, not just thinking.
Feeling pleasure in doing good things shows that someone has developed a virtuous character. Temperance means aligning our desires with what is best for our own happiness.
The Greek word Aristotle used for "intemperate" (akolaston) meant "unchastened," suggesting that an intemperate person is immature and lacks discipline.
In his Meditations, the Roman emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius described temperance as a virtue that opposes love of pleasure. He believed temperance separates humans from animals and wrote:
"For Marcus, the mind’s purpose is to understand desires, not be controlled by them. In Meditations, he advised: 'Wipe out imagination: check desire: extinguish appetite: keep the ruling faculty in its own power.'
Marcus admired his father, who lived simply and showed restraint in all things. He compared his father to Socrates, saying both could avoid excess and enjoy life without losing control.
In Summa Theologica, Thomas Aquinas explained that temperance deals with desires for physical pleasures. He clarified that temperance is about avoiding excessive pleasures, not pain. He wrote, "The temperate person is praised for avoiding pleasures of touch, more than for avoiding pain."
Aquinas believed temperance does not mean avoiding all pleasure but avoiding those that are excessive or against reason. For example, he discussed food and sex, saying that temperance allows these to meet human needs without breaking the rule of moderation.
Like Marcus Aurelius, the French philosopher Michel de Montaigne wrote in his essay Of Experience that temperance improves the soul. Montaigne believed temperance enhances pleasure rather than opposing it, writing, "Temperance is not the enemy of pleasure but its seasoning." He also said that temperance within marriage should be serious and thoughtful, not excessive.
Montaigne acknowledged the difficulty of temperance, noting that completely suppressing desire is impossible. He warned that failing to control desires can lead to suffering.
In Advancement of Learning, the English philosopher Francis Bacon agreed that temperance is hard to maintain when facing strong desires or pleasures. He wrote that the mind would naturally be temperate if emotions did not cause chaos. He especially warned that people with wealth or comfort are more likely to lose temperance.
In Paradise Lost, the poet John Milton described temperance as "the rule of not too much," a virtue that helps people live long, healthy lives. Like others before him, Milton recognized the difficulty of temperance, writing that it requires knowing the difference between good and harmful desires.
The French philosopher Blaise Pascal believed temperance balances between never-ending desire and complete lack of desire. He agreed with Montaigne that desire cannot be fully removed but should be controlled. In his Pensées, he wrote, "Nature has set us so well in the center that if we change one way, we must change the other."
Religions
Themes of temperance, or the practice of moderation, appear in many cultures and throughout history. In Buddhism, temperance is a key part of the Noble Eightfold Path. The sixth step, called "Right Effort," includes "sense restraint," which means controlling one's senses to avoid overindulgence. The Buddha first taught this path in the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, describing it as a balanced way of life between extremes of excessive pleasure and harsh self-treatment. The third and fifth of the five precepts, or rules for ethical living, also emphasize temperance by discouraging harmful behaviors like drunkenness.
Temperance is defined as the ability to control desires and use resources wisely. In the Old Testament, temperance is described as an important moral value in the Book of Proverbs. The New Testament also highlights temperance, linking it to self-control as one of the "Fruits of the Spirit." In Christian teachings, the word "temperance" in the Bible comes from the Greek word enkrateia, meaning self-discipline.
Thomas Aquinas, a medieval philosopher, included temperance in his system of virtues based on Aristotle's ideas. He described temperance as a mental quality that helps control strong emotions. Temperance is often seen as a way to avoid the sin of gluttony, or overeating.
In Christianity, temperance is closely related to self-control and is practiced in many ways. It is especially visible in groups like the Amish, Old Order Mennonites, and Conservative Mennonites, who live simple lives. Temperance helps people avoid overindulging in pleasures and use resources fairly.
In Hinduism, the concept of dama (self-restraint) is similar to temperance. It means controlling one's desires and actions. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, an ancient Hindu text, lists dama as one of three key qualities for a morally developed person, along with compassion and charity. In yoga, dama is part of the yamas, or ethical guidelines, and is one of six virtues in ṣaṭsampad, a system of spiritual qualities.
The Vedas and Upanishads, ancient Hindu texts, describe many virtues needed for a moral life. Over time, these ideas changed. For example, the Manusamhita originally listed ten virtues, including dama (temperance), but later simplified the list to five: nonviolence, temperance, honesty, purity, and truthfulness. Hindu teachings also describe five types of self-restraint: avoiding harm to others, lying, stealing, cheating in relationships, and greed. These rules apply to actions, words, and thoughts. Temperance is believed to prevent negative consequences, or karma, and to reduce harm to others.
In Jainism, temperance is a central part of five major vows: nonviolence, truthfulness, chastity, nonstealing, and nonpossessiveness. Jain teachings emphasize that nonviolence includes avoiding harm through thoughts, speech, or actions. During the festival of Paryushana, Jains say Micchāmi Dukkaḍaṃ, a phrase meaning "I seek forgiveness," to ask for forgiveness for mistakes they have made or might make. This practice happens throughout the year as well.
Contemporary organizations
Today, groups like the Boy Scouts and people such as William Bennett and Benjamin Franklin continue to encourage temperance. Philosophy has helped us learn about traits by studying rules and organizing virtues. Some experts in positive psychology say temperance includes four important strengths: forgiveness, humility, prudence, and self-regulation.