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as the motivational power through which the highest of achievements are possible” (Brickhouse, 2009, Electronic) Plato argues that through love, desires are extinguished. Plato
continues to argue for love by relating it to his Theory of Forms, where the higher level of reality is not in the realm we live in but one in which we are based on. Plato goes onto to say that love is the middle point in the two realms, the middle point between reality and perfection and so is required for one to live a perfect life.
In Plato’s dialogue ‘The Ring of Gyges’ he further supports his argument for justice as a virtue. Plato shows that it is better to be just then unjust, and true happiness will come to the person that is just and virtuous. When Plato builds “the perfect city” in ‘The Republic’ for debating purposes, he goes on to say that for true happiness, man must work together and create a just city or environment where everyone is just and striving for true happiness.
Similar to Plato, which is unsurprising as Plato was Aristotle’s teacher, Aristotle does too believe that virtues are required for a good life. (Brickhouse, 2009, Electronic). However, Aristotle also notes that goods and a plan are required to maximise human potential and happiness. Originally said by Aristotle, and stated by Adler, The one right plan for achieving happiness or a good life is, according to Aristotle, a plan that involves us in seeking and acquiring all the things that are really good for us to have. They are the things we need not only in order to live but also in order to live well. If we seek all the real goods that we ought to possess in the course of our lives, we will be pursuing happiness according to the one right plan of life that we ought to adopt. (Adler, 1978, pg 89)
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Aristotle’s definition at first seems to be materialistic but it is important to note that Aristotle believes that goods are needed to fulfil human potentials and although humans with basic needs taken care of, can achieve a good life, their potential cannot be fully reached. (Adler, 1978, pg 90). In Aristotle’s book “On the Soul” he takes a manly scientific perspective to describing what it is. Aristotle does mention that humans have the highest level of soul with the ability to reason. He also suggested that the body must be trained to choose reason over emotion. It is this discipline that must be achieved to have goods that are needed without crossing the line and obtaining excess goods.
As also mentioned in Alder’s interpretation a plan is needed, Socrates, who was Plato’s teacher as Plato was Aristotle’s, said that an unexamined life is not worth living. Aristotle went further and said that an unplanned life in not work examining, for an unplanned life is one in which we do not know what we are trying to get or how to get there. (Adler, 1978, pg 77) Aristotle believes that a plan is needed in order to maximise human potential and live a “good-life”.
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Plato and Aristotle on Politics.
Both Plato and Aristotle have readings in which they dictate there perfect city or polis, Plato in “The Republic” and Aristotle in “The Politics”. Both cities are the ultimate and both philosophers state that they are more hypothetical then realistic. Aristotle is quoted in saying “The city that is to be constituted on the basis of what one would pray for” (Aristotle, Translated by Lord, 1984, pg 203) and so shows they are unrealistic.
Late in Book V Plato announces that philosopher kings should be the rulers. He goes on to say that “Until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils - no, nor the human race, as I believe - and then only will this our State have a possibility of life and behold the light of day.” (Jowett, 1901, pg 170, 171). Plato’s definition of a philosopher is one that can apprehend knowledge from his theory of forms.
These philosopher kings are rational people and the highest class of his “perfect city”, they are educated and seek truth and long for education their whole lives. Plato points out that they are just, think with reason and entirely virtuous. This is why they should be the only rulers of his perfect city.
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In Aristotle’s book The Politics book V. He makes mention of ultimate cities and what type of government is best. Aristotle talks about most forms of known government. He puts down the idea of one man ruling or Monarchy, where one man who is better than the rest and therefore fit to rule, would be a suitable type of government only in theory. He soon clarifies that realistically it wouldn’t work and cuts it down by saying “there are many persons who are similar, with none of them so outstanding as to match the extent and the claim to merit of the office that would be required for the rule of one man on the basis of exceptional virtue that characterizes monarchy and tyranny is inherently extremely short lived and clearly without value” (Aristotle, Translated by Lord, 1984, pg. 173) Aristotle goes on to suggest other form of government with the number one candidate being a polity, which is a fusion of democracy and oligarchy. A polity is an attempt to unite the freedom of the poor and the wealth of the rich" The reason this is the most suited type of government is due to the fact that the rule is shared amongst the wealthy and the poor.
In conclusion
Plato and Aristotle both agree that virtues are required for a fulfilled life. Plato believes that it is his Platonic Virtues that are required whereas Aristotle states it is goods that are needed to maximise a person’s potential to excel in order to live a good life. Through Plato’s The Republic we can see that a ruler needs to be a Philosopher King who is reasonable and truly virtuous. Aristotle dissects all common forms of government and as a result comes up with a Polity, where the rule is shared amongst all classes of society.
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Reference
Adler, Mortimer J. Aristotle for Everybody. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1978.(pg 89))
Brickhouse, Thomas Internet Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, Plato [Electronic Version]. Retrieved April 3, 2011: http://www.iep.utm.edu/plato/
Jowett, Benjamin. (1901) The Republic of Plato. The Colonial Press
Lord, Carnes (translation). (1984). Aristotle, The Politics. University of Chicago Press Ltd London.
Department of Politics
Te Tari Torangapu
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Date: 4/April/2011
