Why does Aristotle say that man i s both political and an animal? How might the second entail the the first?

Question

Page 259 in Classics Moral and political theory 4th edition

Answer 1

Animals are social creatures as are men. They need their own kind to survive and multipy, but in order to survive and multipy, they must find order to keep from killing one another. The same is true for men that they must find order if they are to live with one another. Politics is the precursor to fighting in man. Animals would just as soon fight to enforce order. Men are capable of enforcing order with laws. that is what elevates them above the other species of animals. It is man's ability to reason that makes hin the superior species on the earth. Or so Aristotle would think.

Answer 2

All living things are organisms and as man had locomotive capability so he is an animal. By Political Aristotle meant Social. Being social is one aspect of being a man. Man cannot live without society. That's why you'll find in Criminal law books that a prisoner cannot be placed in solitary confinement for more than a week at a time. Otherwise he'll get insane.

Answer 3

Fermi of Borg has the right idea.

I would also like to add that this is inscribed into the very old nature/nurture debate. There exists this idea that society is somehow not 'natural', that man constructs something artificial for himself through the social world. Aristotle puts himself squarely against that idea by saying man is a political animal. In other words, society is perfectly natural to man and there is no need to talk about some mythical, lost 'state of nature'.

Answer 4

You seem to be referring to an exerpt of Aristotle's book, "The Politics". To quote:

"Hence it is evident that the state is a creation of nature, and that man is by nature a political animal ."

In this expression, Aristotle is forced to use a number of words to convey a meaning that his society has not invented yet. If you look closely, I think the meaning should be clear - he is talking about 'nature', and what arises by itself and without fail... what he really means is INSTINCT!

So when Aristotle says, "man is a political animal", what he means is that it is INSTINCTIVE for men to engage in politics and to form states and systems of governement.

I'll also go so far myself as to say that he seems to be dead right in that regard. Sociologists will tell you that pretty much any time more than one person is in a room, they will establish a pecking order and a system of rules between them. Nor can I think of any society which does not have some form of government and enforcement, even if it is sometimes difficult to percieve at first.

Answer 5

Man has an innate ability to quell his instincts when trying to impress or persuade others, however in his quest to do so he ruthlessly cuts others down instinctivly to get ahead. Thus he is polite on the outside yet at his core he will do anything to get ahead.

Man also feels that he must preserve his own kind much like animals, thus why man thinks death a tradgedy in general, unless when fighting for a belief in which man will kill to preserve what he thinks is life.

These are just examples however, of how man is both.

Answer 6

(Hu)man is indeed an animal. We display all of the same characteristics of any other higher order life-form. What Aristotle was getting at is that we, unlike the animals, are cognisant, sentient beings who are self-aware. Furthermore, some humans move beyond the simple "stimulus/response" thinking processes that control most animals.

Answer 7

Aristotle considers that man is an animal because, if the man does not belong to a society, with clear and fair laws and rules, he cannot achieve his goal - to live with his people. without laws and society, man is, indeed, an animal

Answer 8

It means (to me) that man is indeed an animal, this is undeniable. However, man unlike the other animals walking the earth has created for himself politics. A method in which to lie yet be rewarded for it. That we enjoy complicating our lives.

Answer 9

By "political" I'm pretty sure he means social. Many animals have this kind of political/social structure with classes, social ranks, in groups and out groups. Humans just dress better.

Answer 10

if you search for the etymology of the words political and animal you will find the answer