Aristotle
In our fast paced technologically advanced society today, our governments have evolved into supposedly well oiled machines effectively managing budgets, jails, militaries, as well as many other programs. Unfortunately, many of these governments are not as well organized, as they could be. Democratic countries like France, Germany, and even the United States have some very serious shortcomings to the way their governments are managed. These problems occur, many times at a very basic level, rather than at the minor details. One problem that is consistent with many countries is the maintenance of governmental programs over large geographical areas. Many times geographic or social differences within countries are what cause
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It serves as the final arbiter of problems, and stands above individuals and binds their actions. Laws change habits and training, but are changeable through certain circumstances and procedures if it is believed to be unjust. The well-being of a society is contingent upon to what extent its citizens obey the law. A member of the polis can be defined as someone who can participate in judging (serve as a juror in the court system), and in governing (serve in public office). A good citizen must possess moderation, prudence, and justice, and must be able and willing to rule and be ruled.
Aristotle defines a constitution as "an arrangement in regard to the offices of the city. By this arrangement the citizen body distributes office, either on the basis of the power of those who participate in it, or on the basis of some sort of general equality (i.e. the equality of the poor, or of the rich, or an equality existing among both rich and poor.) There must therefore be as many constitutions as there are modes of arranging the distribution of office according to the superiorities and the differences of the parts of the city"
(Page 138). He believes that the organization of a state's constitution is directly related to the kinds of citizens that reside in the polis. The constitution has a direct root to the most powerful or most populated class.
The middle class is where most of the power comes from because they are the majority, and
First, society grows; a government becomes needed, and in turn laws. Next, because of growth and the inability to gather the people all together, elections become needed. He describes these simple concepts as “the best balance between government and society” (Paine, n.pag.). After clearly explaining to the people his ideas, he uses his concepts to discredit the “monarchial and aristocratic tyranny” (Paine, n.pag.) in the English Constitution. He further examines the lack of appropriate checks and balances, and charges it as unable to “be the gift of a wise people” (Paine, n.pag.). In this section, Paine successfully illustrates an expectation of appropriate government, in a basic construction that puts organization to the public’s desires.
The Constitution ensures that the power lies in the hands of the people, and if corruption
Do you know that only 1.6% of college football players make it to the NFL? Less than 1% make it to the NBA, and only 10.5% make it to the MBL. All of these athletes could be enjoying their weekends at home, they don’t have time for a job to make extra money, and they miss family holidays and events for games. College athletes should get paid.
In Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Politics, the topic of the ideal form of government is addressed at several points. Among the forms of government discussed is democracy, which Plato and Aristotle critique using their own objective reasoning. As a student of Plato, Aristotle shares many opinions as his teacher, including a similar critique of regime types. That said, Aristotle has a differing view on democracy in large part thanks to his contrasting psyche. In this paper, I will use passages from the Republic and Politics to answer the question, “how did Plato’s and Aristotle’s personalities create a tension between their physiological beliefs? And how did this tension influence their views on democracy?” I will use an examination of Plato’s ranking of regimes and Aristotle’s 3 good forms and 3 bad forms of government in order to analyze their interpretation of the ideal form of government and create a framework that will make the tension between Plato and Aristotle easier to pinpoint. Upon analyzation of the Republic and Politics, it is evident that Aristotle’s psyche creates a tension with Plato’s because while Plato uses subjective arguments to stress the importance of knowledge, Aristotle uses more rational arguments to put a higher emphasis on the power of observation and the establishment of reality. This difference in their views of the world around them directly influences their stance on democracy. Plato claims that democracy is a faulty form of government,
Excellence is a function which renders excellent the thing of which it is a function is Plato’s definition of virtue. What does this definition really mean though? Plato and Aristotle both had their own unique arguments devoted to the topic at hand, and their own ways of describing what virtue really is. Defining virtue may seem to be an easy taste, but to truly understand the arguments behind the definition can prove to be very challenging.
Every day, people go about their lives and live each day as it comes. Some may get out of bed and grab a cup of coffee or tea, maybe have a bite to eat and start their day. Because these things are like routine, most ordinary people aren’t going to stop and think while taking a sip of coffee and wonder what makes up the coffee or tea they are drinking and what are forms. This is where Plato and Aristotle stand out above the crowd in their ways of thinking because unlike the guy who just goes on with his day drinking his coffee or tea without a thought, these two guys want to know where things originate and what forms are. Form comes from the Greek word eidos which translates as idea, archetype or essence. Although Plato and Aristotle both have ideas about form, they differ completely from each other. To find out which view is more plausible, they should be compared.
One of Aristotle’s conclusions in the first book of Nicomachean Ethics is that “human good turns out to be the soul’s activity that expresses virtue”(EN 1.7.1098a17). This conclusion can be explicated with Aristotle’s definitions and reasonings concerning good, activity of soul, and excellence through virtue; all with respect to happiness.
The concept of equality is multi-faceted and widely debated among scholars. While there is no singular definition for equality, equality deals with the distribution of some “thing” in a specific domain. For this paper, equality will be narrowed down to the domains of economic and political. It is essential to note that distinct types of equality can become conditions for equality in a different domain. In this case, economic equality will be analyzed as a condition for political equality. How is it exactly that economic equality can undermine political equality? By answering this question, this paper will prove that economic equality is a necessary pre-condition for political equality. I will do this by analyzing the political writings of
Have you ever thought to yourself and think why we have so many people in jail and prison? Do you ever wonder how many people are in there because of an addiction they have weather is heroin or cocaine? Do you think addicts should go to rehab instead of prison?
First and foremost, the constitution establshed the structure of the government. By dividing responsibilty and power between three seperate branches, the constitution ensures the promotion of the general welfare of the people. This equal distribution of power does not allow for abuse or tyranny. Each branch must abide by the checks and balances put forth in each sction of the constitution. A government must listen to and abide by its people in order to ensure domestic tranquility. A government that does not listen to its people will create turmoil within a society, much like the tyranny of British rule in the colonies inspired the revolution.The constitution establishes election processes fir the sole purpose. Officials are elected by the people and elections are held at regular intervals. This promotes the power and voice of the people, a major principle of the
The philosophy of virtue ethics, which primarily deals with the ways in which a person should live, has puzzled philosophers from the beginning of time. There are many contrasting interpretations regarding how one should live his or her life in the best way possible. It is in my opinion that the Greeks, especially Aristotle, have exhibited the most logical explanation of how to live the "good life". The following paper will attempt to offer a detailed understanding of Aristotle's reasoning relating to his theory of virtue ethics.
The theory of the Four Causes refers to an influential Aristotelian principle whereby the causes of movement and/or change are categorized allowing us to have knowledge of our existence and everything around us. Aristotle wrote that "we do not have knowledge of a thing until we have grasped its ‘why’, that is to say, its cause." He provided an account of the operation of various individual substances in the universe. Distinctions were made between things of two sorts: those that are contingent on something else’s movement and those that necessary in their own movement. Aristotle not only suggested a proper description of these but also attempted to answer particular questions such as ‘Why does this event happen?’ and ‘Why is this object as
In ancient Greece two great written philosophers lived. First there was Plato and then Aristotle. Aristotle was a pupil of Plato. Despite being taught by Plato they had different theories and views. Their ethics were very typical and traditional of ancient Greece but Aristotle detailed virtue ethics and the path to happiness. Plato’s political theories for a utopian society varied from Aristotle’s view of ‘best state for each society’. Their metaphysical theories are complete opposites and very contradicting. Even though Plato and Aristotle came from the same era and were closely linked they had very different philosophies.
Confucius was a Chinese philosopher whose ideas were contained in a book called the Analects. This work was done after his death and in it are written dialogs between a master and his scholars that talk mostly about the moral values of Chinese people. Confucius lived during the Zhou Dynasty and even though he never gained office during his life, his legacy has endured throughout time. He believed that it was essential for a government to cultivate three important things which were education, rituals, and hierarchical relationships. For Confucius education was important as this was a way to learn the old values and traditions that ensured social order, especially those of the Zhou era which he claimed was a time where China lived in great harmony.
Aristotle believed that the goal of all human life is to achieve ultimate happiness. Happiness is the final Utopia or the end of “a life worth living.” Human instinct is characterized by achieving personal fulfillment, thus leading to happiness. Aristotle warns against going astray and “preferring a life suitable to beasts” by assuming happiness and pleasure are equal. Living a life preferred by beasts incapacitates a person from achieving the end Utopia. Even though Aristotle does not equate the two, he does stress that minimal pleasure is required to achieve happiness. Someone lacking in vital necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter are not capable of achieving happiness due to their lack of pleasure.