Aristotle on Politics

Paper Summary:

This paper examines Aristotle's claim that politics makes us truly happy, and that the natural endpoint or telos of man is found in politics. It discusses the 'natural' phenomenon of politics and how happiness can be achieved through practicing the doctrine of the mean. It looks at the Sophist contradictions and the evolutionary nature of politics due to the teleological reasoning of Aristotle. It also discusses the criticisms of Aristotle through prejudices he had and in terms of the vagueness of the term fulfillment.

From the Paper:

"Aristotle's claim that politics fosters mans happiness centres around his view that politics is the natural endpoint (telos) for man and that it is a practical tool which should provide the natural and moral conditions suitable for human happiness and fulfilment (eudamonia). Aristotle bolsters his argument with metaphysical claims concerning the teleological nature of man. His view contradicted with the Sophist position of the time, which stated that politics was created to restrain the natural desires of man. Instead Aristotle believed that the happiness and virtue of all citizens was entwined with politics and that politics was natural, and not a socially constructed phenomenon, but was a natural evolution from basic, small familial structures, that characterised the governance of early mankind."

Sample of Sources Used:

• The Greek Dialogue, History of Greek Political Thought from Homer to Polybius, Kegan, The Free Press,1965
• Aristotle on Ethics, Gerard J. Hughes, Routledge, 2001
• A History of Greek Political Thought, T.A. Sinclair, Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd, 1959
• Aristotle Ethics, The Nicomachean Ethics, translated by J.A.K. Thomson, Penguin Books, 1976
• The Politics of Aristotle or a Treatise on Government, William Ellis, JM Dent and Sons Ltd, 1952

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