Christian Mueller-Goldingen, Aristoteles, Politik: Einleitung und Kommentar, Band 1: Bücher 1, 3, 7 und 8, Wissenschaftliche Kommentare zu griechischen und lateinischen Schriftstellern, Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag Winter, 2016, viii+340 pp., ISBN 978-3 (original) (raw)
Some Remarks on the First Book of Aristotle's Politics
Wisdom , 2018
This article is devoted to a sequential analysis of the first book of Aristotle's Politics. It suggests an interpretation of the classical problem of natural hierarchy of men as it described in the first book of the treatise. In this book, Aristotle examines seven commonly held definitions of a slave – four " natural " and three " conventional " ones – and then offers his own eighth definition, placed right in the middle between nature and convention. The article exclusively deals with the first book of Politics and avoids invoking other books of the treatise as well as other works of Aristotle because in classical political philosophy every statement is highly contextualized and could not be simply quoted in order to prove or disprove any point of view without preceding deep examination.
Aristotle as authority: Alternative Aristotelian sources of late mediaeval political theory
History of European Ideas, 1987
The style of political argumentation typical of the Middle Ages. with its hea\.> emphasis upon authoritative sources instead of rational demonstration. is foreign and disturbing to many modern philosophers and political theorists. ConsequentI>,. one hears the complaint that the Lveight afforded b>, msdineval authors toancient andearl~ Christian authorities results in historically irrelevant and patentI>, unoriginal insights. ' Admittedly. mediaeval political thinkers seldom dared to assert \.iebvs for Lvhich they could not cite some basis in Scripture. the Fathers or the pagan philosophers. And whenever an authorit> could not be located, it could atuays be manufactured.' Yet the importance of 'argument from nuthoritv' during the ivliddle Ages should not lead us to ini'er the slavish devotion of political thinkers to earlier texts at the espenseofintellectLlal independence, It is a mistake to confuse thr mcdiaeval requirement ot authoritative citation with the inability of authors to escape from or transcend vie\vs culled from the documents which they read and revered. More rcasonabl!~. we might assert that political ivritrrs adopted from their authorities ivhate\.er was useful in addressing problems within mcdiaeval society. rejected \\.hat was decmecl irrelevant, and orten mispresented or manipulated sources in order to justify truly novel doctrinei. U'e may test this general h> pothesis bq' reference to Aristotle. whose' intluence during a great part of the Xfiddle Ages ~vas second only to Scripture. Recent studies of mediacval political ideas leafs the impression that Aristotle's Polirics (and to a lesserestent Ethic-x) provided the indispensible model for human societl to authors working after 125O.j In this regard. Aristotle is seen to lay the foundations for a move n\\a) from the categories of feudal society, and towards the Renaissance concepts of citizen and state.4 The reintroduction oL\ristotle's Politics into Europ; is thereby credited with the revitalisation of the LYestern tradition of political theor!.. This claim, in turn, rests on the presumption that the major polltical doctrines defended or articulated alter about 1750~at least b\, authors of an Aristotelian bent--ha\,s their primary source in either the Polific,s or the 'political' sections of the Ethics. The aim of the present paper, hoitever, is to challenge such an assumption by demonstrating that when medixval authors found Aristotle's social and political ideas inappropriate to the problems of itud~~l society which they confronted. they manifested none ofthe bookishness so often attributed to them. Careful euaminntion of late mrdiasval texts suggests that there \vas no fear-of discussing issues of current concern in secular. feudal society.
Araucaria. History, Philosophy, Art and Humanities», ISSN: 1575-6823 (Print), ISSN: 2340-2199 (Online). , 2022
Aristotle’s conception of the politeia (regime, constitution) as a distinctive feature of the historical experience of the polis is a key aspect in his treatment of politics. Part of this discussion deals with Aristotle’s attempt to locate and define the qualities of the politeia as the most valid criteria for a historical account of the polis. These are the qualities I intend to address in this chapter. In section 1 I consider the role of the politeia in Aristotle’s account of the history of the polis after it deviates from the monarchic model of government. In section 2 I tackle the problem of the politeia’s intelligibility inside the polis understood as a “community of interpretation”. Finally, in section 3 I address the politeia as an expression of the unity of the polis and discuss its quality to unify actions (praxeis) aimed at a common goal. Here I argue that it is the politeia’s “unifying quality” that highlights the causal connections underlying actions that regard the polis. The politeia helps to unmask historical causation between the actions. Within the context of the politeia, the historical account of the polis connects actions which outside the framework of the politeia do not appear to be so closely related. Key-words: politeia’s intelligibility, polis’ history, political justice, Aristotle on the unity of the polis, Cleisthenes’ reform, Aristotle on history and poetry.
Aristotle Politics: A commentary
In this commentary on Aristotle's 'Politics', I aim to offer a detailed and insightful exploration of one of the most pivotal works in political philosophy. By delving into Aristotle's Politics, I will provide not only a concise summary of its key ideas and themes but also endeavor to present a thought-provoking commentary that sheds light on its significance and enduring relevance. Aristotle's Politics stands as a seminal treatise on the fundamental nature of politics, examining the organization and functioning of human societies, the purpose of governance, and the ideal state. Within its pages, Aristotle presents a systematic analysis of political structures, forms of government, and the virtues and vices inherent in different political systems. Moreover, he addresses the complexities of human nature, the role of ethics in politics, and the pursuit of the common good. Through my commentary, I will dissect Aristotle's arguments and elucidate the philosophical foundations that underpin his ideas. I will explore his notions of justice, the nature of citizenship, and the relationship between the individual and the state. Additionally, I will delve into his views on the ideal state and its components, such as the rule of law, education, and the distribution of resources. Please note that the bold text represents a summary of the original passage from Aristotle, while the italicized text indicates my reflection and commentary on Aristotle's ideas. This formatting convention serves to distinguish between the two types of content and provide clarity for the reader. The purpose of the bold text, which summarizes the original passage from Aristotle, is to condense and encapsulate the main points or essential arguments made by Aristotle in his work. It aims to present a concise overview of Aristotle's ideas, enabling readers to grasp the core concepts without delving into the minutiae of the original text. On the other hand, the italicized text signifies my personal thoughts, interpretations, and analysis in response to Aristotle's ideas. It serves as a platform for me to engage with Aristotle's work, offering my own perspective, critique, or support. The commentary can expand upon the original passage, provide additional context or examples, raise questions, or explore the implications of Aristotle's ideas in contemporary contexts. By utilizing this formatting approach of bold and italicized text, I have tried to provide a clear structure to the writing. This structure allows readers to easily distinguish between Aristotle's original ideas and my reflections, fostering a deeper understanding of the text. Furthermore, it encourages readers to critically engage with the original passage, consider multiple viewpoints, and form their own interpretations based on the interplay between the bold summary and the italicized commentary.
Notes for a Discussion of Aristotle's Politics
These are some notes for a multi-day discussion of Aristotle's seminal work on the organization of cities, the realization of virtue, and other foundational issues in political theory.
Philosophy of the Ancient Commentators on Aristotle, Review
Philosophy Compass, 2012
bstract From the first century BCE onwards, philosophers started to write commentaries on those Aristotle's treatises that were meant for the internal use of his school. Plato's works had been commented on already earlier, the first reported commentary originates in the 300s BCE. Commentaries are treatises that follow an object text in a more or less linear fashion. The format was not unknown before the first century BCE but new in extensive philosophical use. This review essay focuses on authors who commented on Aristotle's works. The commentaries emerged when Platonists and Aristotelians observed the need to teach the philosophy of these ancient masters to their students and to systematise their philosophy to respond to rival schools. In the late ancient schools, Plato and Aristotle were considered great thinkers, whose views needed to be studied carefully when considering any matter at hand. Many also argued that, despite the initial appearance to the contrary, there is no deep disagreement between Plato and Aristotle but, rather, a division of labour; Aristotle is dominant in natural philosophy and Plato in theology. However, this harmony thesis was not universally accepted. Despite their respect for Plato and Aristotle, the commentators were not mere followers of these authors. They developed, criticised and transformed the doctrines in significant ways, not only by suggesting different answers to the same questions but also by transforming the questions themselves.
Reflections and Implications of Discipline and Civilisation in the Political Thought of Aristotle
2015
The existence and enormous potentials of the state as a force for good or evil have prompted philosophic reflections, from the earliest of times, on its origin and nature, and on how it can be better organised to serve the interests of its humanity. From Socrates to Plato, and down to contemporary times, the content of the exploration has remained almost the same, with variations only seen in the nature and manner of the investigations. However, Aristotle continues to stand out as unique in that he laid the foundation for scientific contemplations in political thought. Any wonder then why his writings remained so influential throughout the Middle Ages and up to the present day. This paper is an attempt to go back in time to trace the influence and substance of that era many political thinkers would agree was indeed the 'Golden Age' of philosophical thought. The paper contextualizes broad issues deemed critical in the cognition of Aristotle’s political thought. The focal poin...
Classical Review, 2019
A review of Andrew Lintott, Aristotle's Political Philosophy in its Historical Context: A New Translation and Commentary on Politics books 5 and 6
Antiopi Argyriou-Casmeridis (MPhil student in Classics, University of Cambridge) 'Aristotle: an "outsider" in politics?' As the questionmark of the title chosen for my presentation suggests, it might at first sight appear rather contradictory that Aristotle, the philosopher most famous for his political theory and his books on Politics, was considered during his lifetime as an 'outsider' in politics. Starting from this premise, my paper is aiming to: first, discuss some aspects of Aristotle's biography; second, extract historical information from his letters and his last will; and third, focus on the political situation during his lifetime and on his political connections that explain his role as an 'outsider'.
Social Science Information
Political theorists today are addressing issues of global concern confronting state systems and in so doing are often forced to confront the concept of Homo sapiens as a 'political animal'. Thus theorists considering Aristotle's Politics attempt to transcend his polis-centric focus and make the case that Aristotle offers ways to address these global concerns by focusing on Empire. This article, contra Dietz et al., argues that Aristotle's political science is first and foremost a science of politeia and that this approach to the operation and working of political systems is far superior to recent attempts at regime analysis in comparative politics. Thus Aristotle's mode of examining political systems offers much fruit for those interested in approaching political phenomena with precision and depth as diverse manifestations of the political communities formed by the species Aristotle called the 'political animal'. From this perspective, focusing on the politeia constituting each political community permits an analysis of contemporary transformations of political life without distorting what is being analyzed.
The Oxford Handbook of Aristotle
Author Is there a philosopher in the history of philosophy whose achievement even comes close to the breadth and depth of the work of Aristotle? Leibniz is perhaps a very distant second. And this is so despite the fact that we possess considerably less than half of Aristotle's writings. For this reason alone, the task of producing a 'handbook' of Aristotle presents a considerable challenge. The editor, Christopher Shields, has largely met the challenge with a collection of twenty-six substantial articles, ranging from those that would serve as introductions to particular subjects for advanced undergraduates to those that would fit fairly comfortably in
The Plan and Intention of Aristotle's Ethical and Political Writings
1991
My objective here is to reconstruct the plan of Aristotle's exposition of political science ipolitike) in his Nicomachean Ethics and Politics, and to show that this plan reveals certain fundamental but unnoticed features of his philosophical intention. First I demonstrate, on the basis of numerous programmatic but unfulfilled forward references in the extant Politics, that Aristotle planned to complete this work in certain promised "discourses on the regimes" (Pol. 1260b8-20) by reconsidering his accounts of moral virtue, education and household management from the perspective of the different forms of regime and the divergent ends each promotes. Secondly, I explore the philosophical intention of this plan of politike, arguing that Aristotle's enquiry remains fundamentally incomplete without this reconsideration. His aim of providing the statesman with the knowledge of "legislative science" necessary to apply the teaching on the human good presented in the ethical writings, I suggest, requires this promised account of the way in which the moral virtues vary according to the ends promoted by the different forms of regime. Our enquiry will help to clarify the philosophical significance of Aristotle's conception of "ethics," as tradition has come to know it, as political science.' *This paper has a long history: I first conceived many of the views here presented when I studied Aristotle's political thought with David O'Connor in 1984, and I remain indebted to him for much valuable discussion over the years. This paper was first presented at Duke University in December 1988, as part of a lecture series on Aristotle, and a subsequent version was read to the seminar in Traditional and Modem Philosophy at The University of Sydney in September 1990. I am grateful to these audiences, as well as to Michael Frede, Phillip Mitsis and A. E. Raubitschek, for helpful suggestions. Particular thanks are due to my late colleague in Chapel Hill, Friedrich Solmsen, who helped to shape my thinking on this subject through much stimulating discussion. It is an honor to dedicate the final result to his memory. In recent years three valuable studies on this subject have ap(>eared: E. Trepanier, "La politique comme philosophic morale chez Aristote," Dialogue 2 (1963) 251-79; S.