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Philosophy and theology

Aristotle argues that the polis is prior in being to the family and that the family is like a part in relation to the whole to show how the ultimate end is something individual for all human beings[1]. His argument is based on the belief that the polis is what helps human beings to carry out their natural functions. Human beings are viewed as not being self efficient and need the polis to direct them on which natural functions to engage in and this makes it prior to the family. The family is however a part of the whole as people come together to perform these natural functions. The significance of this truth is that it helps to understand why people function the way they do and the reason why the polis is such a dominant factor throughout society. However, since all human beings have free will, the ultimate end remains something individual as everyone has the freedom to choose how to act upon the influence caused by the polis.

According to Plato, the greatest evil that can befall a polis is injustice. A police constitutes of different people with different interests living together in harmony. As such, there must be a system to ensure that everyone is given what is owed to them and that everyone’s rights and freedoms are respected[2]. For this to happen, there must be justice as this will ensure fairness and equality for all within the police and lack of it would therefore be the greatest evil that could exist in a polis. Because of its importance, every community must have a system to ensure that justice prevails[3]. While some may argue that the best condition to maintain justice is democracy, Plato strongly disagrees with this notion. His critique is based on the basis in which democracy operates. Democracy operates under a majority rule where the needs of the many outweigh those of the few. He argues that all democracies will eventually lead to a society filled with chaos especially because it gives some people the power to interfere with the lives of others. It operates by electing people into power and giving them authority to rule over others. However, this power has the tendency to corrupt and, according to Plato, it will be the reason behind the chaotic society brought about by democracy.

Justice is described as tool that is essential in ensuring good leadership. It is also a whole made up of parts as different individuals have different roles to play to ensure that justice is observed, through cooperation, people living in a community make up the parts that amount to the whole that is justice[4]. Although has the capability of doing good, this common good is facilitated by justice which ensures that men do not behave like animals. The city is therefore prior and important to people on an individual basis in that without it, most of the actions that people engage in would be unjust. On their own, people tend not to be self sufficient and they rely on the city to offer guidelines describing what is expected of each individual. By working together, locals cooperate with those in authority and lawmakers to create the whole that is justice. in reference to the whole community, justice is therefore a quality where the community ensure that every member of society is given what is owed to them[5].

Authority is something that is naturally part of the human condition as it can be traced back to human origin. Despite the fall of our parents, human beings started life under an authoritative figure that they believe to have given life to everything on earth. They learnt that they are supposed to obey as this is an authoritative figure that is powerful and possess a lot of knowledge[6]. Since coming to life, human beings learn that there is such a thing as authority and that only those in power have control over the others[7]. Being able to talk, human beings were more intelligent and thus had authority over animals. Even if our parents had not fallen, human beings would have continued to maintain their authority over animals. Just as God had authority over man, human beings would have come to the realization that even as human beings, there are those who have more authority over others. The fall of our parents simply reduced the authority that human beings originally possessed.

Man is naturally political and this is facilitated by nature. Of all beings, man was the only creature granted the ability to speak and since nature does not do anything just for the sake of doing, the gift of speech is what led to man’s political nature. Being able to speak meant that man could share ideas and make ones desires known[8]. Since human beings often live as a community, politics is something that occurs naturally as people must find a political way to peacefully coexist. Furthermore, human beings are naturally inclined to achieve the common good. Since politics is the most self governing approach towards achieving the common good through association, human beings are naturally inclined to incorporate politics into their different forms of association. The common belief is that through politics, people will be able to live in such a way that helps every member of society to reach the common good. Politics is therefore not just a choice but also a way of life[9].

According to Catholic tradition, the contemplative life of an individual is said to be objectively higher than their active life. The contemplative life in this case is the life where people will go to live with their creator after death depending on the type of active life they had[10]. According to Ramsey, human beings must strive to have a pure heart as this is the only way to guarantee that they will live a better afterlife with their creator in his kingdom. Although a good contemplative life is dependent on the nature of the active life, the contemplative life is regarded as being higher as it is the end that all Catholics strive to achieve. In any given community, the common good is essential as it helps people to purify their soul and live in a way that they will see the kingdom of God. The contemplative life can therefore be said to be a telos as it gives Catholics a purpose while the active life is the skopos since it gives them a way of determining how they will live their lives so as to achieve the telos[11].

The argument that the end of the universe will be extrinsic is based on the view that the universe is kept intact by the extrinsic relationships that exists between the different living and non living things that exists on earth. Since this relationship is based on this relationship, it is therefore correct to assume that the disintegration of this relationships or if the relationships end up harming the universe will result to its end[12]. The intrinsic argument on the other hand holds that the end of the universe will be caused by the being (God) that created it. Since God is the center of unity that sets everything in motion, he will therefore be the one to bring an end to the universe. The relationship between the intrinsic and extrinsic end of the universe as one resulted to the other. A supreme being initiated the push that intrinsically led to the universe coming into existence[13]. However, his initial push resulted to the extrinsive elements which create the notion that the end of the universe will be caused by its extrinsive nature. However, the most ideal assumption for the end of the universe is the intrinsive one where the end will be caused by God who led the universe into being.

Through examining how God governs the cosmos, one is able to better understand the meaning of personhood and the cosmos. God is depicted as the Supreme Being responsible for all actions that led to the universe coming into being. Similarly, an individual is in charge of the nature of life one leads. All consequences are therefore as a result of the individual’s personhood. God also gave beings the ability to live in accordance with the universe created; similarly, citizenship is facilitated for people who coexist in the same community[14]. Since peaceful coexistence is determined by how well people live each other, both freedoms offered through personhood and citizenship must be exercised in such a way that there is harmony similar to how the universe operates. The term ‘for his own sake’ depicts that, even though God is the creator, all beings were created for a purpose and that they were given free will to serve their purpose. Although god created things out of his goodness, everything was given free will to decide how to live out their lives. This tells us that all human beings are equal. No individual was created to be superior to the other and any superiority that people experience is as a result of people’s desire to achieve goodness[15].

References

Anangnostopoulous G, (2011) “Socratic, Platonic and Aristotelian studies: Essays in honor of Gerasimos Santas” Springer Science & Business Media

Aquinas T, (n.d) “On the truth of the catholic faith”

Aristotle, (2008) “politics” Cosimo

Aristotle, ., & Simpson, P. (1997). The Politics of Aristotle. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.

Ramsey B, (1997) “John Cassian: The conferences”

[1] Aristotle, (2008) “politics” Cosimo

[2] Anangnostopoulous G, (2011) “Socratic, Platonic and Aristotelian studies: Essays in honor of Gerasimos Santas” Springer Science & Business Media

[3] ibid

[4] Aristotle, ., & Simpson, P. (1997). The Politics of Aristotle. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.

[5] ibid

[6] Aristotle, (2008) “politics” Cosimo

[7] ibid

[8] Aquinas T, (1995) “On the truth of the catholic faith”

[9] Aquinas T, (1995) “On the truth of the catholic faith”

[10] Ramsey B, (1997) “John Cassian: The conferences”

[11] ibid

[12]Aquinas T, (n.d) “On the truth of the catholic faith”

[13] ibid

[14] ibid