Dr. Clifford Angell Bates, prof. ucz., a native of Rhode Island, specializes in political science with a focus on political philosophy and theory, including comparative politics, international releations, literature and politics, and American constitutional thought. He is the author of Aristotle’s Best Regime (LSU, 2004) and The Centrality of the Regime for Political Science (WUW, 2016).
The Two Kinds of Business
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
1. Introduction to Two Types of Goods-Getting Arts
There are two distinct forms of goods-getting: one natural, essential for household management and sustenance; the other unnatural, focused on commerce and unlimited wealth acquisition.
2. The Dual Use of Possessions
Every possession can be used properly (e.g., shoes for wearing) or improperly (e.g., exchanging shoes for money).
3. Origins of Trade and Exchange
Trading originated from the need to balance possessions, moving from household exchanges to broader community barter systems.
4. Development of Commerce and Money
With increasing trade, especially with foreigners, money was introduced to facilitate exchanges that barter could not efficiently handle.
5. Evolution of Goods-Getting through Commerce
Commerce evolved from simple trade to an art form focused on profit maximization, closely linked to the development and use of money.
6. Ambiguity of Money and Wealth
While money is often equated with wealth, it is actually conventional and arbitrary, with no inherent value beyond societal agreement.
7. Re-Evaluating Wealth
Aristotle calls for a distinction between natural wealth, tied to the necessities of life, and unnatural wealth, associated with the limitless pursuit of money.
8. Unlimited Desire for Wealth in Commerce
The pursuit of wealth in commerce is seen as having no limits, akin to medicine’s pursuit of health, yet it often focuses merely on financial gain rather than true well-being.
9. The Problem of Unlimited Wealth Accumulation
This mistaken belief in the limitless acquisition of wealth leads to lifestyles focused more on having than on well-being, often to the detriment of living well.
10. The Misapplication of Skills and Arts to Money-Making
Various arts, such as medicine and the military, are often misused for profit, undermining their true purposes.
11. Conclusion: Distinction Between Necessary and Unnecessary Goods-Getting
Aristotle concludes that necessary goods-getting is natural and limited, part of household management, whereas unnecessary goods-getting, driven by commerce, is unlimited and unnatural.
Key Themes in Chapter 9:
Natural vs. Unnatural Wealth: Aristotle differentiates between wealth that is necessary and naturally limited, and wealth that is pursued through commerce, which is unnatural and unlimited.
Dual Use of Objects: Objects have both natural uses (proper) and unnatural uses (commercial), highlighting different approaches to possessions.
Development of Money: The transition from barter to money marked a significant development in commerce, influencing the art of maximizing profit.
Critique of Wealth Accumulation: Aristotle criticizes the pursuit of wealth for its own sake, advocating for a focus on living well rather than merely accumulating resources.
Misapplication of Arts: The distortion of various arts for monetary gain reflects a broader societal misunderstanding of their fundamental purposes.
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