Hobbes Locke and Rousseau

THE GOOD FOR MAN

The issue to found what is the good for man is a controversial issue. As many philosophers discussed this issue, in other words to find the definite Good, Aristotle thinks that “the good for man is politics.” Aristotle thinks so that the good can be defined as an “all things am” (1094a). According to him, to be able to reach a something, everybody should have a target, in this way they can easily reach to the needed. Therefore, Aristotle thinks that “this aim” should be resolute as a science, and this science can only be the politics as an “authoritative and the master art” (1094a29). The reason why he chose the politics is that it includes other knowledge and capacities such as strategy and economics. The aim of politics is the aim of all other capacities, and it is to find “the good for the man” (ethics I.3). While we are discussing the idea of Aristotle about politics and its aim, we shouldn’t forget the ideas of his teacher Plato. There are some similarities and difference from each other. Firstly their ideas look like in some points. Both Aristotle and Plato think that the person who does the politics should be well educated experienced and should not be young because this person can’t act through his passions and desires. Moreover, both philosophers think that before founding the happiness of individual, the happiness for individual, the happiness for the city and for the society should be found. After this, individual will be happy. However, there are some different ideas. Plato thinks that all discipline should be common but according to Aristotle only the Politics can decide what other discipline can do or not. Plato thinks that each person should do a job if he has a natural talent on it. But for Aristotle the politics should choose the best for citizens even they have a talent or not.

In my opinion, whatever the government type is, politics is the one thing which never changes in human life. I think so that politics can be the master art because in this way we make law, we take some decisions about the country and we communicate with other countries, so the good for man is politics.

“Politics legislate as to what we are to do and what we are to abstain from” (ethics I.3 109419a-b12). For Aristotle politics is the master art because it creates law and it regulars the life of society. No matter which types of government, all of them have politics and society is governed by the rules made by politics. Law arise through needed of the society. In other words for example regulations about the obligations. In society people make some relationship and therefore the contract among them should be regulated in case of misunderstanding. So, politics direct and create those laws through these necessities, moreover politics can decide what society needs. According to Aristotle