Aristotle Flashcards
aristocracy
‘rule of the best’ government considered superior to oligarchy because it values everyone’s interests
aristocracy confers benefits on the basis of merit, with the result that those who deserve to govern to in fact govern
citizen
“someone who is eligible to participate in the deliberative or judicial office in a city-state” (III.I.1275b)
city-state
“a multitude of citizens, adequate for life’s self-sufficiency” (III.I.1275b)
constitution
a way of organising the offices of the city-state
corrective justice (diorthōtikon)
concerns restoring a fair balance in interpersonal relations where it has been lost
if a member of a community has been unfairly benefitted or burdened with more or less than is deserved in the way of social distributions, then corrective justice can be required
democracy
‘rule of the people’ government in which the poor masses have control and use it to serve their own ends
distributive justice (nemētikon)
individuals should receive benefits and burdens in proportion to their contributions to society, merits or desert
“All agree that the just in distribution has to be in accordance with some standard of merit or worth, they do not, however, all pick the same standard: supporters of democracy choose freedom, oligarchies choose wealth or good birth, and supporters of aristocracy choose virtue” (NE.V.III.1131a)
just constitution
a constitution in which the rulers exercise power in the best interests of the people. They are geared toward bringing about well-being for all their respective citizens.
“those constitutions that look to the common benefit turn out, according to what is unqualifiedly just, to be correct” (III.1279a)
kingship
an idealised form of monarchic government in which the king is an exceptional individual who governs with everyone’s best interests in mind
natural justice
concerns lawfulness and the common good of the political community (NE.V.I)
“the just is therefore the lawful and the equal, and the unjust is the unlawful and unequal” (NE.V.I.1129a)
oligarchy
‘rule of the few’ government controlled by a minority consisting of the wealthy
bad form of government as the ruling faction governs solely in its own interests
tyranny
the rule of an individual solely in his own benefit
this is the worst type of government
unjust constitution
a constitution in which the rulers serve their own interests at the expense of the people. They are geared toward the benefit of those in power.
“those constitutions which look only to the benefit of the rulers are mistaken and are deviations from the correct constitutions” (III.1279a)
universal justice
concerns lawfulness and the common good of the political community (NE. Aristotle)
particular justice
consists of distributive and corrective justice
general agreement that justice involves treating equal persons equally and treating unequal persons unequally, but there is contention over the standard by which individuals are deemed to be equally meritorious or deserving
politeia
used in two different ways: first, it translates quite directly as “constitution”;
second, it describes a ‘constitutional government’ which Aristotle considers one of the best forms of government combining elements of oligarchy and democracy
what historical context did Aristotle live in?
lived in turbulent time that saw both the twilight of the Greek city-state and the rise of Alexander the Great
though the city-states relied on slave labour and the disenfranchisement of women, the male citizens established one of the earliest forms of democracy
Plato’s Academy was founded in Athens in 385 BCE
where was Aristotle educated?
Plato’s Academy for 20 years
what were some of the influences on Aristotle?
Platonic influence
- well versed in Platonic philosophy, including Theory of Forms
son of doctor
- served as an important counterbalance to the idealism of Plato’s philosophy
- medical background meant more empirically oriented than Plato and focus on classification
what is Aristotle’s view on human nature?
man is by nature a political animal, more so than other animals (we have speech to communicate what is beneficial or harmful and hence what is just and unjust)
all men have the innate capacity to become a eudaimon given the appropriate nurture (the polis)
why does Aristotle think humans are naturally more political than other animals?
no other animal has speech - speech is for making clear what is beneficial or harmful, and hence what is just or unjust
what are the three main kinds of association?
- the household / family
- male-female association
- ruler-ruled association - the village
- the polis
what is the household / family responsible for?
the fulfilment of everyday recurrent needs
what is the village responsible for?
no clear definition but something more than the fulfilment of everyday recurrent needs
what is the polis responsible for?
allowing man to fulfil his full potential
is city-state a natural or man-made occurence?
every city-state exists by nature
“a city-state is among the things that exist by nature, a human being is by nature a political animal, and anyone who is without a city-state, not by luck but by nature, is either a poor specimen or else superhuman” (Pol.I.1253a)
should individuals own property? why / why not?
individuals should own property to have a stake in the city
“that which is common to the greatest number has the least care bestowed upon it. Everyone thinks chiefly of his own, hardly any at all of the common interest; and only when he himself is concerned as an individual” (Pol.II.1261b)