Aristotle’s Philosophy: Theory of Knowledge, Ethics, and Politics
THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
Aristotle agrees with Plato that true scientific knowledge should be fixed, but differs in:
1 –
Scientific knowledge is not about ideas but about the essences of things.
2 –
Plato only recognizes as valid the knowledge of reason which leads to ideas, Aristotle also admits to the senses as a source of knowledge.
3 –
Plato admits the real existence of separate ideas of individuals. In this theory called exaggerated realism. Aristotle does not support the existence of ideas apart from the actual individuals that are the realities that exist uniquely. This theory to support Aquinas Holy Thomas is called moderate realism.
4 –
Scientific knowledge for Aristotle is perfect knowledge of the causes, that is, why things are.
ETHICS
A) HAPPINESS
a)
Aristotle states the principle that the end or last of all human beings is happiness. Then we found from that is that happiness
b)
It looks at human nature. Then set a second principle: every natural being is happy doing the activity that is proper and natural. The man will be happy as a man. Everyone is happy under its nature. This principle is based on the teleological conception of nature in Aristotle.
Aristotle reviewed several theories, some put happiness in life devoted to pleasure, in the bios apausikos, others placed their happiness in life which were the highest good honor, prestige, bios Politikos. But neither of these is sufficient to itself, i.e it is self-sufficient. Only theoretical life is the specific and peculiar to man and is self-sufficient.
c)
An essential to happiness is virtue, especially prudence. Prudence is a virtue that is to deliberate well and good and convenient choice to be happy. It also provides the mean between vicious extremes. Theoretical activity is the activity proper to man but to be perfect should be accompanied by all the virtues.
In summary, happiness is knowing well the theoretical activity combined with the virtues and temporal goods, in an ideal state, the polis.
B) VIRTUE. Definition of virtue
Virtue means excellence, completion of the development of the capacities of a being. The virtuous man is one who acts as an excellent way or highlighted their capacities. No can be happy without being virtuous.
Aristotle defines virtue as “a habit, i.e a permanent provision to act, acquired from an initial capability that is achieved through exercise.” For example virtue or excellence is, for poets such as Homer, something innate or dominant noble class, Socrates and Plato identified knowledge and virtue, virtue was knowledge that could be taught and learning (moral intellectualism). For Aristotle, nor is it something innate (not born virtuous) or sufficient education (not enough to know what is the courage to be brave). Aristotle introduces the deliberation and effort.
Classes virtues
If virtue is a permanent provision from an initial capacity, there will be many kinds of virtues as skills. Aristotle distinguishes between intellectual ability and skills irrational soul. Then virtues exist for both:
Intellectual virtues or dianoetics:
they are acquired dispositions own intellectual faculty. He has a great importance in the moral virtues because it is she who sets the right mean between vicious extremes.
Moral virtues or ethics:
those that regulate the capacity of the soul as irrational passions and feelings… Aristotle defines moral virtue as the mean between two extremes vicious. The middle term is set by the trial of a wise man who possesses the virtue of prudence. Each situation dictates what is right and balance. The set of virtues or dispositions acquired Aristotle called ethos
The notion of justice
Among the ethical virtues stress the virtue of justice that becomes the bridge between ethics and politics, constitutes the most solid basis of the polis.
Just is the law-abiding, and how are you looking for the good of society, Aristotle says that justice is the most perfect virtue.
Aristotle exceeds the notion of justice as harmony and virtue, understood as governing the relations of man with the aims system equality of men. Aristotle distinguishes several kinds of justice:
a)
Total or legal justice: is compliance or conformity to the laws of the city that are geared to the common good. Aristotle defines law as a trial prudent management provides for the good of the state,
b)
Particular justice aims of equality among citizens. And is divided into:
– Corrective or commutative justice: regulate contracts between community members. .
— Distributive Justice: it regulates relations between individuals and the polis, i.e, regulates the distribution of duties and burdens among citizens.
– Criminal Justice: imposing sanctions according to the misconduct.
THE POLITICAL
A) The Politics of Aristotle’s philosophy
1) The scale politics of science
Aristotle, in addition to the theoretical sciences distinguishes two classes, called practical and productive (poetic). At practical belongs Politics, aimed at the common good and the good government of the polis.
2) The policy summary of his philosophy
The book I Politics was composed in the last of each of the life of the author and in it his whole philosophy is to: In the states that can not be a good leader without being a philosopher, then you first need to know how to organize himself.
3) Ethics and politics. Subordination of ethics to politics
if the purpose of ethics is happy and virtuous life and they only get in the polis, ethics and politics are inseparable aspects of reality itself. One can not speak of the subordination of ethics to politics because the supreme good of man, the happy, virtuous and fully human (ethics) only what is achieved and is possible, as we shall see, in the city.
B) The man, a political animal.
1)
Aristotle states that sociability is an essential feature or dimension of human nature. Sociability is inscribed in human nature.
Political community or polis is not a conventional artificial entity established under an agreement between free individuals, as independent and equal assert later Locke, Hobbes and Rousseau, but natural in the sense that it springs from the necessity of human nature.
2)
Man as a natural being is oriented toward a good, towards its full realization. This realization it is not possible outside the polis, in a state of isolation. Then the man tends by nature to life in community. Man is by nature a social being.
3)
Man is not self-sufficient. It is something between a god who needs life in society and the beast for it is impossible that life in society. So the barbarian, not living in the Greek polis, are considered subhuman.
4)
Aristotle sees the logos, language is conclusive proof of sociability.. It shows that sociability is something qualitatively different from the herd instinct of animals. The animals have a voice that expresses the state of pleasure or pain, the man has thought and language logos “Nature does nothing in vain, i.e, man has been endowed with logos for something, to socialize and reason. Rationality implies sociability.
There is an essential distinction between voice quality that is characteristic of social animals and the logos, own social men. The voice expresses the pain and pleasure are subjective states, private affairs. The logos is the ability to discover what things are, their truth, which is not private but is in common
In short, thanks to the logos, the man is a citizen and can participate in the justice administration and public activity of the polis.
C) The Aristotelian conception of the polis.
1) Definition of the polis
Community of free men oriented purpose of living well, deciding on common issues through the logos (word and reason).
The city is not something natural but not artificial in that constituted or born as the need of human nature.
The city is a community or association but not every community is a city. Simple living is not enough. Nor does the community of place. What separates the city from other communities is in order.
2) The end of the polis.
Any community or association is specified or characterized by the end pursued. Aristotle makes a division by Communities:
“The first and elementary conjugal community is formed by the man and women whose purpose is procreation of the species.
“The family has as its purpose the maintenance and sustenance of the household, i.e satisfaction of the everyday needs of men.
“The village is the grouping of several families for satisfaction of not everyday needs.
“The city or political community, finally, is the perfect community and is superior to its predecessors because its purpose is higher. It is not about meeting basic needs and materials, not just live but to live well. The difference between living and living well is the difference between animal and man. Living well is a good but not strictly human. According to Aristotle’s conception of nature, good life for man is perfect and happy life according to virtue, especially following the virtue of justice is the cardinal virtue of political community.