Point I. On Abstinence

I. Notion of Abstinence. Abstinence is a moral virtue inclining man to moderate the pleasure of touch and taste in the use of food and non-intoxicating drink. It is said:

1. The pleasure of touch and taste, that is, as we indicated above, the pleasure which flows either from the use of food and drink as such, or from the special flavor of this food or drink.

2. In the use of food and non-intoxicating drink. By these words abstinence is distinguished from sobriety, since sobriety is given for overcoming the special difficulty in the use of intoxicating drink.

II. Object of Abstinence. 1. The remote material object is constituted by foods themselves and non-intoxicating drinks; but the proximate object is the pleasures of touch and taste which arise in their use.

2. The remote formal object is the reason of debt of preserving the mean of right reason in the use of these things; but the proximate formal object is the special moral goodness shining forth in moderating the pleasure of touch and taste in the use of food and non-intoxicating drink.

III. Opposed Vices. By defect there is opposed gluttony strictly so called, or surfeiting, by which someone uses food and non-intoxicating drink beyond the measure of right reason; by excess there is opposed excessive abstinence, by which someone abstains from their use against right reason (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 148).