aristotle Flashcards
Who was Aristotle, and what are some key aspects of his life?
Aristotle (384-322 BCE) was a pupil of Plato, teacher of Alexander the Great, founder of the Lyceum, and author ofNicomachean EthicsandPolitics.
How does Aristotle define virtue?
Virtue is the disposition to find the right mean between two extremes, such as courage being the balance between cowardice and rashness.
What is the ultimate goal of life according to Aristotle?
Eudaemonia, or human flourishing.
What distinguishes theoretical knowledge from practical knowledge in Aristotle’s philosophy?
Theoretical knowledge is intrinsic, general, and precise, while practical knowledge is instrumental, particular, and variable.
What is teleology in Aristotle’s philosophy?
The idea that everything has a purpose or telos, such as an acorn’s purpose to become an oak tree.
What are Aristotle’s four causes of the polis?
Matter: citizens,
Form: constitution,
Efficient cause: self-sufficiency,
Final cause: living the good life in common.
What is Aristotle’s view of humans as political animals (zōon politikon)?
Humans are political animals because they have the gift of speech, enabling them to discern the expedient, just, and unjust.
What are Aristotle’s criticisms of Plato’s Republic regarding private possessions?
Aristotle argued that lack of private possessions leads to disinterest and inefficiency, as people care more for their own property.
Why does Aristotle critique Plato’s abolition of the family?
He believed that the absence of family undermines brotherhood and happiness, as relationships of love and care give life meaning.
How does Aristotle view morality differently from Plato?
Plato bases morality outside of current affairs, while Aristotle grounds political ethics in lived experiences.
What is the role of the polis in human life, according to Aristotle?
The polis is the ultimate form of human organization, aiming to expand human capacities and achieve justice.
What isoikonomia, and how does Aristotle differentiate it fromchrematistike?
Oikonomiais household management for survival, whilechrematistikeis the limitless accumulation of wealth, considered a degeneration of economics.
What are Aristotle’s requirements for citizenship in the polis?
Proper education, economic independence, native-born status, being free, and being male.
What are Aristotle’s six forms of government?
Tyranny (bad)/Monarchy (good), Oligarchy (bad)/Aristocracy (good), Democracy (bad)/Politeia or Polity (good).
How does Aristotle classify corrupt forms of government?
Corruption occurs when governments serve private interests: tyranny for one, oligarchy for the few, and democracy for the many.
What is Aristotle’s ideal form of government?
Politeia/Polity, rule by the middle class, as it represents a balance and the right mean.
How does Aristotle justify slavery?
He believed slaves had a nature different from masters and considered them ‘animated tools’, with authority following perceived natural differences.
How does Aristotle view women in society?
He viewed women as naturally inferior, with their deliberative faculty present but without authority, and their state as a natural deformity.
What is Aristotle’s view on children?
Children have a deliberative faculty, but it is immature, making them dependent on guidance.
What is the relationship between the polis and the oikos in Aristotle’s philosophy?
The oikos (household) serves the polis (state) by managing economic activity for the common good, ensuring a rational and virtuous economy.
What is Aristotle’s approach to political realism?
He focuses on constitutions and ways of life achievable by most cities and people, rather than aiming for unattainable ideals.
How does Aristotle relate the citizen to the state?
The citizen is a political equal who both rules and is ruled, emphasizing mutual participation and moderation of conflict.
How does Aristotle define eudaemonia, and how is it connected to virtue?
Eudaemonia is human flourishing, achieved through the practice of virtue, which is finding the right mean in all aspects of life.
What is Aristotle’s critique of wealth accumulation?
He condemns limitless accumulation (chrematistike), favoring economic activity (oikonomia) that serves rational and political goals.
How does Aristotle view the connection between virtue and practical wisdom?
Practical wisdom is the ability to find the right mean in each situation, essential for living virtuously and achieving eudaemonia.
What distinguishes Aristotle’s metaphysics from Plato’s?
Aristotle rejected Plato’s separate world of Forms, focusing on the essence or being immanent in material things.
What are Aristotle’s four causes, and how do they explain purpose?
Material cause: what something is made of,Formal cause: its shape or essence,Efficient cause: what brings it into being,Final cause: its purpose.
How does Aristotle classify political power based on its distribution?
By wealth (oligarchy), citizenship (democracy), excellence (aristocracy), and moral virtue (politeia/polity).
What are the critical terms to remember in Aristotle’s political thought?
Eudaemonia, virtue, practical wisdom, teleology, polis, oikonomia, chrematistike, zōon politikon, constitutions, aristocracy, politeia/polity.
