ARISTOTLE 383-322, The Phiospher of Realism
Aristotle (384-322)
Aristotle and Plato:
1. The former was conservative, inductive (in method, realist) and moved from particular to universal while and the latter was radical, deductive (Idealist) and moved from universal to particular.
2. Plato subordinated politics to ethics while Aristotle gave the pride to politics.
Influences on Aristotle:
From Plato: Superiority of Greeks over the barbarian, active role of citizen, usefulness of slavery and pupil ship of Plato.
Aristotle on natural origin of the State:
1. Man is political animal> a household (elements of fellowship, organization and justice originates here) which has moral and social use>Village when urge to seek a fuller life>City or State which is big enough to be self sufficing.
2. The economic needs of man may be met within family but his fuller development both moral and rational, is possible only within the state.
Aristotle on Nature of the State:
1. The highest of all communities which aims at the highest good and it is the creation of nature because man is by nature a political animal.
2. State covers all individuals and associations and they have meaning and life only within the state.
3. Sate has organic growth and performs moral functions and man is a man, he is better than a brute, only if he lives in a state.
To Aristotle, Ends of the State:
1. Man is essentially good and state performs both positive and negative functions.
2. State is not merely a punishing agency, it is spiritual association in a moral life and must have the virtues like individual of courage, self control and justice.
Aristotle on Slavery:
1. Slavery is natural to him and therefore moral because there is a natural inequality between men and so, therefore, there is natural rule of the superior over the inferior.
2. The intellectual must control and rule the physical (Slaves).
3. Slavery is Not only necessary but expedient because they provide the leisure to the intellectuals to concentrate on their allotted duties and in the process the slaves get the virtues of their master.
4. He was against slave exploitation but did not believe in the racial, sexual and human equality.
5. Distinction between slave by law (prisoner of war) and slave by nature but believed that the son of a natural salve may not always be a slave.