Incontinence

Incontinence

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". Incontinence mostly occurs in adults but can also occur in teens. Incontinence is usually referred to in urine when leakage occurs that cannot be helped or stopped. There are two different types of urinary incontinence: stress and urge.

Incontinence of stress is when leakage occurs during laughter, sneezing, coughing, etc. Usually, those with stress incontinence do not recognize it as a medical condition. In most cases, stress incontinence is not dangerous and can often be treated through retraining of urethral muscles.

Incontinence of urge, however, is when you feel the sudden need to urinate and cannot help but have an accident. This is caused by losing the first message sensation telling you that you need to urinate.

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. [ dictionary.com - [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/incontinence incontinence] ] This concept is also called wantonness.

"Grant me chastity and continence, but not yet." (Da mihi castitatem et continentiam, sed noli modo.) - Saint Augustine

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] [http://nothingistic.org/library/aristotle/nicomachean/nicomachean20.html] Plato/Socrates reasons that there is no such thing as incontinence because the only reason a person would choose a path that is detrimental to oneself is for lack of knowledge/experience. [I don't remember the reference]

ee also

*Urinary incontinence, the involuntary excretion of urine
*Fecal incontinence, the inability to control one's bowels
*Crohn's disease

References


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  • incontinence — [ ɛ̃kɔ̃tinɑ̃s ] n. f. • XIIe; lat. incontinentia 1 ♦ Vx ou littér. Défaut de continence; activité sexuelle pratiquée en dépit des interdits et considérée comme coupable (notion chrétienne). ⇒ débauche, luxure. 2 ♦ (1584) Méd. Absence de contrôle… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Incontinence — In*con ti*nence, Incontinency In*con ti*nen*cy, n. [L. incontinentia: cf. F. incontinence.] [1913 Webster] 1. Incapacity to hold; hence, incapacity to hold back or restrain; the quality or state of being incontinent; lack of continence; failure… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • incontinence — (n.) late 14c., inability to restrain sexual desire, sexual immorality, later inability to keep to a religious rule (early 15c.), from O.Fr. incontinence lack of abstinence, unchastity (12c.) or directly from L. incontinentia greediness;… …   Etymology dictionary

  • incontinence — Incontinence. s. f. v. Vice opposé à la vertu de continence. Son incontinence fut cause de sa perte. il a ruiné sa santé par son incontinence …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • incontinence — index debauchery, greed, vice Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • incontinence — Incontinence, Incontinentia …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • Incontinence — Inability to control excretions. Urinary incontinence is inability to keep urine in the bladder. Fecal incontinence is inability to retain feces in the rectum. * * * 1. Inability to prevent the discharge of any of the excretions, especially of… …   Medical dictionary

  • incontinence — n. 1) (urinary incontinence) the inappropriate involuntary passage of urine, resulting in wetting. Stress incontinence is the loss of urine on exertion (e.g. coughing and straining). It is common in women in whom the muscles of the pelvic floor… …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • incontinence — (in kon ti nan s ) s. f. 1°   Incapacité de retenir ; sens propre qui n est conservé qu en médecine : écoulement ou émission d une matière excrémentitielle, liquide ou solide, malgré la volonté ou sans qu on s en aperçoive. Incontinence d urine.… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • INCONTINENCE — n. f. Difficulté de se contenir, particulièrement dans l’ordre de la chasteté. être adonné à l’incontinence. Son incontinence fut cause de sa perte. Il a ruiné sa santé par son incontinence. Par extension, Incontinence de parole. Spécialement, en …   Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise, 8eme edition (1935)

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