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plato to locke
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In the 7th book of Politics Aristotle poses the vexing question as to whether a political or philosophical life is better. At first Aristotle’s line of questioning seems marred by the inherent causal relationship between philosophy and politics observed in the writings of Plato, however upon further reflection it is clear that the two, for the sake of argument, should each be held as autonomous ways of life. One could argue that a philosophical life will prosper over a life of political ambition given that human beings were perfect creatures. Throughout Politics however, it becomes apparent that Aristotle does not believe human beings are perfect creatures capable of the restraint and existential autonomy necessary to be solely philosophical creatures. Given this endogenous argument which Aristotle’s writing brings forth it becomes clear that within the realm of political, and social reality, it is better to live a political life than one of philosophical pursuit. If one where to subscribe to the Socratic answer to Aristotle’s question, any debate over whether a political or philosophical life is best would be neutralized by Socrates notion of a philosopher king. Socrates believed that a single man infused with the traits of a philosopher king could bind a city state together, and therefore it was the leadership of these individuals that superceded all. In Politics Aristotle clearly disagrees with the Socratic claim, and most importantly for one fundamental reason. In reading Aristotle it becomes clear that a persons soul is inextricably bound to the welfare of the city-state, and therefore he often describes individuals as nothing more than a single component of a city, rather than a city as a metaphor for a single individuals soul. In chapter two of his seventh book Aristotle says “It remains to say whether the happiness of each individual human being is the same as that of a city state or not. But here too the answer is evident, since everyone would agree that they are the same. For those who suppose that living well for an individual consists in wealth will call a whole city state blessedly happy if it happens to be wealthy, and those who honor the tyrannical life above all will claim that the city-state that rules the greatest number is happiest.
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