Plato, Aristotle, And The Purpose Of Politics (PDF)

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Synopsis

In this book, Kevin M. Cherry compares the views of Plato and Aristotle about the practice, study and, above all, the purpose of politics. The first scholar to place Aristotle's Politics in sustained dialogue with Plato's Statesman, Cherry argues that Aristotle rejects the view of politics advanced by Plato's Eleatic Stranger, contrasting them on topics such as the proper categorization of regimes, the usefulness and limitations of the rule of law, and the proper understanding of phronēsis. The various differences between their respective political philosophies, however, reflect a more fundamental difference in how they view the relationship of human beings to the natural world around them. Reading the Politics in light of the Statesman sheds new light on Aristotle's political theory and provides a better understanding of Aristotle's criticism of Socrates. Most importantly, it highlights an enduring and important question: should politics have as its primary purpose the preservation of life, or should it pursue the higher good of living well?

Book details

Author:
Kevin M. Cherry
ISBN:
9781107021679
Related ISBNs:
9781107633506
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Pages:
N/A
Reading age:
Not specified
Includes images:
No
Date of addition:
2018-05-02
Usage restrictions:
Copyright
Copyright date:
2012
Copyright by:
Kevin M. Cherry 
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Categories:
History, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Politics and Government