Natural Hierarchies In Society
Aristotle, the Greek philosopher believed in natural hierarchies, which are outlined in the article Politica - Book 1. Basically, Aristotle's concept was that the freeman, the man who was not a slave, was the top person in the hierarchy, as constituted by nature and the universe (Aristotle, 560). I agree to some extent to these theories, as I don't believe that equality can exist in this world. Also, my background causes me to acknowledge and agree to these theories, as they are quite similar to the culture I was brought up in. However, despite agreeing to the theories in Politica, I have found some flaws in them, which cause them to contradict each other.
Politica - Book 1, covers many ...
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be "either a beast or a god." (Aristotle, 557).
The soul was naturally higher than the body as it naturally governed the actions of the body. People whose bodies were in control could be hurtful.
"… Although in bad or corrupted natures the body will often appear to rule over the soul, because they are in an evil and unnatural condition." (Aristotle, 560).
Aristotle wanted to show that when the soul was not in control, the person would be in an unnatural state.
Men should control woman according to Aristotle, as it was natural for them to be in control. "The male is fitter by nature for command than the female…" (Aristotle, 574). It was also thought to be morally virtuous and courageous for a man to command, and for a woman to obey (Aristotle, 576). However, the inequality here was not as severe as with the slaves as the rule by men on women was “constitutional.” (Aristotle 574).
Aristotle defined slaves as subjects, people who use their body as a tool for the freeman's ...
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freeman understanding his priorities too. A freeman was expected to instill excellence into the slave and not merely control him:
"It is manifest, then, that the master ought to be the source of such excellence in the slave, and not mere a possessor of the art of mastership which trains the slave in his duties." (Aristotle, 577).
By training the slave correctly, the freeman was ensuring that the job done by the slave was to an excellent standard, resulting in the most good being done.
Aristotle also discussed the evolution of money and the evil of it. He believed that usury: money lending, was a hated sort of obtaining money, as it was not natural.
"Usury which makes a gain out of ...
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Natural Hierarchies In Society. (2005, January 28). Retrieved December 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Natural-Hierarchies-In-Society/21291
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"Natural Hierarchies In Society." Essayworld.com. January 28, 2005. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Natural-Hierarchies-In-Society/21291.
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