Was Aristotle A Realist, An Idealist, Both Or Neither?
For the purposes of this essay, definitions will be kept simple: a realist is someone who represents or views things as they are in reality, while an idealist is someone who has high ideals that are not necessarily based in reality, someone who sets a standard to aim at that could be considered unrealistic. This essay will answer the set question by looking at Aristotles' views on human nature, the ends of politics, liberty, and equality, and deciding whether they are realistic or idealistic.
Aristotles' most famous view of human nature is that "...a human being is by nature a political animal..." (Politics, Bk1 Ch2). Aristotle closely linked humans/human nature and politics, believing that humans were naturally intended to live in city states, which he believed to be natural in themselves, hence "...anyone who is without a city state, not by luck but by nature, is either a poor specimen or else superhuman." (Politics, Bk1 Ch2). In terms of human nature, Aristotle thought that people, or more specifically, men, tended "...by nature to be on an equal footing and to differ in nothing." (Politics, Bk1 Ch12) by which he means that all men are born with broadly similar faculties. Aristotle regarded women as inferior to men, following the tradition of his time, saying "...a male, unless he is somehow constituted contrary to nature, is naturally more fitted to lead than a female." (Politics, Bk1 Ch12) He also had views on the soul and human nature: "The soul is divided into two parts, of which one has reason itself, while the other does not have it in itself, but is capable of obeying reason...the element having reason is better." (Politics, Bk7 Ch14). Aristotle regarded the part of the soul that did not have reason as being the irrational part of human nature, or the appetite, whereas the part with reason was the reasonable side of human nature, the intellect. Aristotle saw the intellect as being more important because it led to the 'studying sort' of human, theorists like himself, and those who took part in politics. Aristotles' links between human nature and his enviroment, such as the city states, the position of women in society, and his own position as an intellectual, thus demonstrate that his views on human nature were predominantly realist.
For the purposes of this essay, definitions will be kept simple: a realist is someone who represents or views things as they are in reality, while an idealist is someone who has high ideals that are not necessarily based in reality, someone who sets a standard to aim at that could be considered unrealistic. This essay will answer the set question by looking at Aristotles' views on human nature, the ends of politics, liberty, and equality, and deciding whether they are realistic or idealistic.
Aristotles' most famous view of human nature is that "...a human being is by nature a political animal..." (Politics, Bk1 Ch2). Aristotle closely linked humans/human nature and politics, believing that humans were naturally intended to live in city states, which he believed to be natural in themselves, hence "...anyone who is without a city state, not by luck but by nature, is either a poor specimen or else superhuman." (Politics, Bk1 Ch2). In terms of human nature, Aristotle thought that people, or more specifically, men, tended "...by nature to be on an equal footing and to differ in nothing." (Politics, Bk1 Ch12) by which he means that all men are born with broadly similar faculties. Aristotle regarded women as inferior to men, following the tradition of his time, saying "...a male, unless he is somehow constituted contrary to nature, is naturally more fitted to lead than a female." (Politics, Bk1 Ch12) He also had views on the soul and human nature: "The soul is divided into two parts, of which one has reason itself, while the other does not have it in itself, but is capable of obeying reason...the element having reason is better." (Politics, Bk7 Ch14). Aristotle regarded the part of the soul that did not have reason as being the irrational part of human nature, or the appetite, whereas the part with reason was the reasonable side of human nature, the intellect. Aristotle saw the intellect as being more important because it led to the 'studying sort' of human, theorists like himself, and those who took part in politics. Aristotles' links between human nature and his enviroment, such as the city states, the position of women in society, and his own position as an intellectual, thus demonstrate that his views on human nature were predominantly realist.
