Aristotle's Politics: Man Is a Political Animal

710 Words2 Pages

In the Aristotle’s Politics Book I, Aristotle determines that man is by nature a political animal, and in accordance to that the polis is created naturally. Aristotle’s first argument states how a polis comes into being by stating “Now in these matters as elsewhere it is by looking at how things develop naturally from the beginning that one may best study them.”(Pg 2, line24)
At the beginning of chapter 2, Aristotle claims that a polis comes out of need, but also reproduction. This is idea is different with the views of Socrates and Plato in the republic. Like all animals reproduction is not a choice made, but a natural longing for immortality. By starting with the creation of family, Aristotle illustrates the building block of politics. The family represents those who cannot survive alone and demonstrating humans need for companionship. The family is the building block of politics because it is in this stage that the first elements of ruling are founded (Pg 2, line 32).
Naturally the man and woman have their task, because nature would never put something into being without a task. The image is compared to the master and slave, where each needs something of one another naturally (pg 2). The household is natural institution that provides the daily needs (Pg 3, line 13). Once the household has been formed, it will in turn form a village. The village consists of many households, and when together provides non-daily needs (Pg 3, line 16). The polis is finally created when villages come together and work peacefully.
Aristotle points out that throughout the process the type of governing was always monarchical from the household all the way up to the polis. The polis though is not a monarchy or oligarchy because of the natural maturi...

... middle of paper ...

...hole with the polis, he is either a beast or a god (Pg 5, line 28-29).
The final argument made by Aristotle, that man is a political animal is made in the last paragraph of chapter 2. Aristotle argues that human can be the most save and cruel animals without the presence of law (Pg 5, line 31). Reason and speech works both ways for humans. Humans can reason anything even violence and death (Pg 5, line 35). Reason naturally was made for virtue and prudence, but is susceptible to be used for its opposite. Justice, which is created from a self-sufficient polis, is the only thing that can make humans virtuous. The task of a polis is to be able to bring out the best life in their citizens, and the best life for citizens is a virtuous life. Poleis are a creation of humans for humans. Humans naturally cannot survive on their own, and naturally can sometime not be virtuous.

Show More
Related

  • Aristotle's Argument of the Polis

    1743 Words  | 4 Pages

    ... against him. With regard to the second objection, Aristotle can begin by accepting that whereas it is indeed true that the parts prior to the whole or the polis - the single associations, respectively - do not contain the virtue for the achievement of eudaimonia in themselves alone, it is through the conjunction of them all that the capacity for this virtue emerges. Indeed, the parts of the city-state are not to be taken distinctively. For instance, whereas five separate individuals alone may not have the capacity to each lift a 900 lbs piano, the five together, nonetheless, can be said to be able to accomplish this. Similarly, it is the city-state with all of its parts that can achieve the good life. In any case, it remains that humankind is essentially political since it fulfills the function of reason, and this function is best performed under the city-state.

    Read More

  • Summary Of Livy Book 2

    715 Words  | 2 Pages

    The dilemma starts off with the dispute between who assert that the policial or active life is the most choice-worthy and those asserting that the philosophic way of life is the best. Aristotle continues to explain three different opinions of what makes a happy course for a government. Firstly, some people ruling neighboring cities”

    Read More

  • Hammurabi And Machiavelli's Theory Of Social Order In Ancient Society

    1045 Words  | 3 Pages

    Aristotle purposed his theory through a way of stating how political community is best of all for

    Read More

  • Essay On The Radicalism Of The American Revolution

    815 Words  | 2 Pages

    The government within the monarchical society was populated by the aristocracy. It was they who were depended upon for directing the course of governmental affairs. The controls of all co...

    Read More

  • Democracy Outlined by Plato and Aristotle

    920 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...kingship, aristocracy and polity are all good forms of ruling because each serves the interest of the people or community. Overall, Aristotle believes that we must not question how many rule, but instead ask how they are capable of ruling or do they rule in a manner that best serves the community. Aristotle’s Politics gives a simpler critique of democracy than Plato’s Republic, however it is convincing in the sense that in order to rule for the good of the community or the good life (Bios) one should only question that capability of those ruling rather than ask the quantity.

    Read More

  • A Critical Analysis of Crime and Social Harm

    651 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jowett, B. (2009) ‘Politics by Aristotle, 350 B.C.E’, Classics, 2009 [On-line], http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/politics.2.two.html (Accessed 9 December 2013).

    Read More

  • Is Socrates Not Guilty Of Treason?

    1008 Words  | 3 Pages

    Socrates and I grew up alongside the Athenian democracy, and experienced her vicissitudes in the past seventy years. We have both heard and experienced cycle of five types of governments that Socrates had mentioned. (Plato, Republic 8.547e) Our democracy was established hundreds years ago under Cleisthenes and turned to tyranny under Isagoras. In our childhood, Athens was a timarchy, and then Pericles ruled Athens with the

    Read More

  • Compare Aristotle's Claim That Man Is A Political Animal?

    1786 Words  | 4 Pages

    This is cited in Aristotle, The Politics Book 1 Part 1, 1253a1, pg.59: “Hence it is evident that the state is a creation of nature, and that man is by nature a political animal.” This argument is somewhat logical because our skilful deployment of reason enables us to comprehend concepts such as justice and injustice, dubbing us political animals. As political animals, this higher level thinking would inevitably ensue into the creation of a political society and political rule. This is because we are naturally hierarchical (Aristotle, The Politics, Book 1 Part 2, 1252a24, pg.56). In a political society, there would naturally be a hierarchy of power, with a sovereign at the top to govern the populace. A sovereign is needed, to keep order and peace within the population; otherwise, there would be a state of chaos. If what Aristotle says is correct, that we are all political animals, then it would be logical that the establishment of political rule would naturally ensue. However, this is not the case. As discussed above, man is not a political animal but an individual only concerned with survival. On the other hand, if the concept of mastery over animals (e.g. ox plow farms) and master and slaves were established, what would be stopping mankind from creating the concept of sovereignty? Following this logic, a

    Read More

  • Thucydides and The Civil War at Corcyra

    2021 Words  | 5 Pages

    In summation this paper discussed the three correct types of regimes according to Aristotle; furthermore it examined the deviations of these regimes. This was done by firstly examining a regime led by royalty, secondly by observing the characteristics of an aristocratic regime and thirdly by discussing a regime ran by constitutional government. Finally defining the three correct types of regimes the deviations of these regimes: tyrannical, oligarchic and democratic were examined.

    Read More

  • Political Philosophy

    1755 Words  | 4 Pages

    Aristotle’s emphasis is on the city-state, or the political world as a natural occurrence. He says “every city-state exists by nature, since the first communities do.” (Aristotle 3). Aristotle continually reiterates the notion that the creation of a community comes from necessity; individuals aim at the highest good of all, happiness, through their own rationality, and the only way to achieve happiness is through the creation of the city-state. Aristotle follows the creation of a household and a village to the creation of the city-state in which citizens are able to come together to aim at the “good which has the most authority of all,” (Aristotle 1) happiness. In turn, this necessity for the formation of a city state comes from the idea of man as a rational being. “It is also clear why a human being is more of a political animal than a bee or any other gregarious animal… no animal has speech except for a human being.” (Aristotle 4). For Aristotle, human beings are political animals because of their ability to speak, their ability to communicate pleasures and desires, and their ability to reason. Aristotle’s state com...

    Read More

  • Internship Experience: Journey towards an FBI Career

    1457 Words  | 3 Pages

    My internship at the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Department made me realize that I am searching for a career that has high intrinsic value. This is probably the reason why I am in the military and most likely the reason why I can now envision myself as a police officer, because I want to serve my community and give back. According to Boal (2004), “In Order for police officers to be effective they must have the support of the community. All Involved parties should understand their role and obligations in providing for the safety of the community”. From what I saw this department was doing a good job of community policing and it’s something I would be very passionate about if I was an officer. Not only did this internship open me to the possibility of becoming a police officer, it also helps shape my current career

    Read More

  • Essay On Polybius Political Theory

    1040 Words  | 3 Pages

    Analysis: According to Polybius, the best form of government was a combination of the three best governments, monarchy,

    Read More

  • Politics by Aristotle

    1847 Words  | 4 Pages

    The subject which the question focuses on is the view of Aristotle’s ideal state. The distinction between hierarchy and equality is at the heart of the understanding of Aristotle’s ideal state. He claims that an ideal state ought to be arranged to maximise the happiness of its citizens. So happiness together with political action is the telos of human life. This end can be reached by living a better ethical life. However, he endorses hierarchy over equality. On one hand we have the equality which benefits everyone; on the other hand we have the distinction of classes meant in terms of diversities and differences where the middle one appears to be the means through which the state is balanced. Furthermore what is clear for Aristotle is that there is a notion of natural inequality which can be evidently seen with the argument of slavery by nature and the role of women in society. Thence, in this paper I argue that Aristotle’s ideal state is a place of hierarchy rather than equality. This essay will focus on several reasons why we can define Aristotle’s ideal state as a hierarchical structure. These reasons are mainly: the exclusiveness of groups in the society, the division of classes, and the concept of inferiority of slaves and women. To do so, the paper has been divided into four parts, which will show, through direct quotations from the text and then with my personal opinion linked with several arguments and counterarguments, how hierarchy is more relevant in Aristotle’s view of society. The first part analyses the importance in a state of ruling and being ruled in a cyclical way, in opposition to the exclusion of groups from power. The second part focuses on the divisions of classes and their double possible interpretation. The...

    Read More

  • History Of Police Officers

    1805 Words  | 4 Pages

    Today 's police officer in the United States has evolved in many ways from when the first police department, the Philadelphia Police Department, formed in 1751. Police officers now go through extensive training, are better educated, physically fit, and have access to vast technologies in the fight against crime. Yet even with these additional attributes, the primary role of the police officer has remained the same, to serve and protect. The people who take up this profession do it knowing that it will involve working in high stress environments, rotating work shifts, long periods way from family and friends, and instances of life and death. These officers dedicate themselves to helping others and work to make their community a safer place. It 's a profession that requires ethics, honor, integrity, and professionalism if you wish to succeed as a police officer.

    Read More

  • What Is Politics?

    1873 Words  | 4 Pages

    An ideal society is in practice a rather difficult aim and even an impossible aim to achieve. Politics implies measures which could and should, in the views of their devisor, be implemented in the hope to create a better society, than that which is already present. The very fact that Plato and Aristotle saw imperfections in the societies in which they lived, prompted them to write their political philosophies. These philosophies provided the first written recognition of politics. In his writings his "The Politics", Aristotle states that "Man is by nature a political animal"(The Politics, 1) in another words, it lies deep within the instinct of man.

    Read More

More about Aristotle's Politics: Man Is a Political Animal

Open Document