Aristotle

The generality of men are naturally apt to be swayed by fear rather than reverence, and to refrain from evil rather because of the punishment that it brings than because of its own foulness.

Greek Philosopher

John Grant

Becoming a musician was all about escape. It was about getting away from the foulness that was me.

American Musician

Foulness often implies strong disapproval or disgust towards something intangible like a concept, action, or behavior.

Negative Emotion

Used to describe extremely unpleasant smells or tastes, creating a vivid sensory impression.

Intensity of Sensory Experience

While often a moral judgment, foulness can also refer to the general unpleasantness of a thing or situation.

Not Restricted to Morality

In sports, especially basketball, foulness means a rule violation, which is technical, not moral.

Sports Specific

Using 'foulness' in a sports situation usually refers to an action that brings a penalty or free throw.

Consequence in Sports

The term is mostly used in game commentary or analysis, not casual conversation.

Game Context

Foulness can reflect a deep sense of moral corruption or ethical violation, often in historical or literary contexts.

Moral Judgment

In literature, 'foulness' might be exaggerated to heighten drama or describe a villain's nature.

Literary Dramatization

This use of 'foulness' may sound outdated or overly formal in casual modern conversation.

Old-fashioned Tone

 This makes it very useful as a strategy if you want to convince somebody that an object or an individual or an entire social group is disgusting and should be avoided. The philosopher Martha Nussbaum points this out in this "Thus throughout history, certain disgust properties -- sliminess, bad smell, stickiness, decay, foulness --