by Jennie Mc Donald

Created on: February 13, 2009

This essay shall compare and contrast Aristotle's ethics and politics with that of Plato. It will show that for both philosophers both ethics and politics go hand in hand. The doctrines they apply to their ethics is also applied to their political states. Firstly, it will briefly examine Aristotle's theory of the soul with the intentions of showing how he believed the reason should rule one's life. Secondly, it will discuss his Doctrine of the Mean and how he applies it to the good life, and later to his political state. It will discuss and compare with Plato his Nicomachean Ethics and Politics and his theory on Phronesis and Sophia. Furthermore, it will examine where Plato's ethical beliefs come from and how he divulges them to the reader. Additionally, it will discuss his tri-part state in contrast to that of Aristotle. Briefly, it will look at his Republic, Phaedrus and Meno and analogies he used to create an understanding of his theories. Throughout the piece vi!

ews from such authors as Bertrand Russell, D.F. Allan and Joan Price will be shown. Finally, it will conclude with a summary of both philosophers.

For Aristotle politics and ethics go hand in hand, the ultimate goal of human life is happiness (Eudaimonia), which both have the capabilities to produce. The happy life according to Aristotle is governed by reason. As human beings we have the capacity to think, unlike plants or animals. Aristotle divided the soul like Plato into three parts, the reason being the highest part. The nutritive shared by plants, the sensitive shared by animals and the reason which is uniquely human. According to Aristotle, the rational part follows certain principles so as humans we must follow these. However, humans also possess the nutritive and sensitive parts of the soul. It is the irrational versus the rational parts of the soul which raises the problem of morality. According to Aristotle, moral choices involve action, so to achieve human happiness our activity must be rational and virtuous, "The good, we are told, is happiness, which is an activity of the soul" (Bertrand Russell, p!

.168).

He divided human virtue or excellence into two parts; moral and intellectual. Moral virtue reflects one's character, which has been formed through their repeated choices (habits). Moral virtues are subjected to the Doctrine of the Mean, whereas, intellectual virtues are not. The mean is the balance between to undesirable extremes; take for example, courage is the mean between cowardice

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