Aristotle Flashcards
Present Aristotle’s view that the city is both continuous of but distinct from lower forms of associations.
- Name three associations
- Continuous because it a) is linear, and b) it replicates authoritative relationships (father - son = king - subject)
- It is distinct because it a) in a teleological sense, it exists prior to the associations, b) brings about the ultimate end, and c) is political
- Conclude - this reflects his understanding of the role of government as the good life.
Explain his strange claim that the state is prior to the individual and other associations. Prior in what sense?
- Introduce
- He means it in a teleological sense. That, through reason, humans will naturally form a state.
- The individual is not self-sufficient, the state is
- It also prior in that they are not the ultimate goal. They’re simply instrumental. So the goal was in mind before those other associations came into being.
Conclude - his idea of human nature. Humans as political animals
What are the four constitutive elements of the household?
- Introduce (first association, exists to provide daily needs)
1. Master-Slave - master has authority and can formulate, slave can follow reason but not formulate. This is described as mutually-advantageous
2. Husband-wife - Both have reason, but wife lacks authority.
3. Father - Children - unlike the previous two (in which both parties are ‘equals’) it is like the rule of subjects
4. The Art of Acquisition - natural resources turned to property. Used to secure daily needs.
Present the 3 relationships in the household and the nature of the authority therein. Contrast that with political authority.
- Introduce (first association, exists to provide daily needs)
1. Master-Slave - master has authority and can formulate, slave can follow reason but not formulate. This is described as mutually-advantageous
2. Husband-wife - Both have reason, but wife lacks authority.
3. Father - Children - unlike the previous two (in which both parties are ‘equals’) it is like the rule of subjects
Different from political authority because, for Aristotle, this is the rule of equals, who will sometimes be governed, and sometimes will rule.
Present his distinction between natural and unnatural acquisition.
Introduce - he brings this up by describing the household, and how it much be acquisitive.
- Says there are three functions of wealth and property. The first two, use and exchange, are just and natural.
- The third, profit-maximization, is unnatural. Particularly through Usury.
Conclude - this plays a large role in his future prescriptions for the village, and shows almost a materialist view - because he says that way we acquire will affect the rest of our lives.
What is his ideal property regime and present his justification for it.
Intro - After the household, the village.
- Private ownership with common use.
- People who work hard will be rewarded
- Moral goodness - generosity will be genuine
- Promotes well-being and happiness
Conclude - this shows his difficulty grappling with free ridership while wanting community spirit.
Present his critique of Plato’s goal of and means toward maximum unity in a state.
Intro - is addressing his instructor’s flaws
- Share everything (family, property, wealth)
- Human nature makes these things impossible, property improves moral goodness
- He believes it is impractical because a city is natural pluralistic. The city needs different people providing different roles.
- Self-sufficiency is more important than unity
Conclude - this sets up his notion of a deliberative assembly
Present his conception of distributive justice.
Intro - to best achieve the good life, he introduces the notion of distributive justice.
- It is a system which suggests people deserve the duty of that which they are best at. For example, a player of a certain wind instrument ought to be the one who gets the best one.
- This applies to civic virtue in that the expert of governing should be giving that function. The best person should have authority.
Conclusion - this ultimately leads to his conclusion that as a collective who deliberate they will find their expertise.
Present his defense of a polity as the best kind of practical state (as opposed to the ideal state).
Intro - after all this, he suggests that the best form of state that is possible is the polity.
- It does so by keeping everyone happy. It won’t give the oligarchs too much wealth, although they’ll get some, and the poor will get a voice and some money.
- People will be more likely to try and get what they want through political means rather than violence, as they all have a stake in the system.
- The rule of the middle class ensures that everybody is happy.
Conclusion - this will lead to his good life
