APPETITE, Appetitus, Appetency, in Philosophy, a Desire of enjoying something wanted; or a Complacency in the Enjoyment of a thing present. Some Philosophers define it more generally, a Passion of the Soul whereby we desire something; or a Propensity or Impulse towards anything apprehended as good. See PASSION, etc. The Schoolmen distinguish Appetite into Voluntary and Natural. The first is the Will itself, acting under a competent Knowledge or Information of the thing in hand: Such is the Appetite or Desire of being happy. The second is a kind of Instinct whereby we are mechanically driven to consult our own Preservation. See INSTINCT, WILL, NATURAL INCLINATION, etc. Natural Appetite is subdivided into Concupiscible and Irascible. See CONCUPISCENCE and IRASCIBLE. The Word comes from the Latin Verb appeto, to desire, to covet; formed of ad, to, and peto, I draw.
Appetite, in Medicine, coincides with what we more usually call Hunger, or Thirst. See HUNGER and THIRST. A Loss or Prostration of Appetite, is called Anorexia. See ANOREXIA. An immoderate Appetite is called Bulimia, or Fames Canina. See BULIMIA. Some, however, distinguish between the Bulimia, and Canine Appetite; making it the distinguishing Character of the latter, that it is attended with a Leanness, or other Celiacal Flux. See CANINE. A preposterous Appetency of things not proper for Food, is called Pica. See PICA.
