Chapter 15
I. The Relationship Between the Best Man and the Best Regime
- Common End for the Best Individual and the Best Regime (7.15.1):
- Aristotle begins by stating that both human beings and political regimes share the same ultimate purpose: the achievement of the good life. This applies both privately (to individuals) and publicly (to the city-state or polis).
- Virtue as the Core: The same principles that define the best man—virtue and moral excellence—are necessary for the best political regime.
- Leisure and Occupation: Aristotle emphasizes the importance of virtues directed towards leisure, as leisure is the end of all occupation. He argues that just as peace is the end of war, leisure is the end of work or occupation.
- Purpose of Virtue: The ultimate goal of human life, according to Aristotle, involves leisure, a condition where humans are free from basic survival tasks and can pursue higher intellectual and moral activities.
II. The Virtues Necessary for Leisure and Occupation
- Virtues Directed Towards Both Leisure and Occupation (7.15.2):
- Aristotle makes a distinction between virtues needed for leisure and those required for active engagement or occupation.
- Necessity of Certain Virtues: For people to be able to enjoy leisure, certain virtues—such as courage, endurance, and moderation—must be cultivated to ensure that citizens can protect their way of life from external threats and internal excesses.
- Moderation and Courage: He emphasizes the necessity of moderation, courage, and endurance in individuals. These virtues are critical for citizens to handle both occupation and the leisure that comes afterward.
- Freedom and Virtue: Drawing on the proverb “there is no leisure for slaves,” Aristotle links the capacity for leisure to freedom, suggesting that only those capable of courage and endurance are truly free. Without these virtues, citizens are susceptible to becoming slaves to those who would conquer them.
III. The Role of Virtue in Leisure and Peace
- Courage for War, Philosophy for Leisure (7.15.3):
- While virtues like courage and endurance are required for occupations and defense, philosophy and intellectual engagement are needed for leisure.
- Philosophy and Virtue in Peace: Aristotle highlights the importance of moderation and justice, which are essential both in war and in times of peace. In particular, philosophy is the virtue that occupies individuals in times of leisure, allowing them to reflect on deeper truths and wisdom.
- Justice and Moderation: In times of peace, when people are free from external pressures, they are more likely to become arrogant. Thus, they need even more justice and moderation to handle the abundance of good fortune that may come their way during peaceful periods.
- Leisure as a Time for Virtue: Aristotle stresses that in times of peace and abundance, the virtues of justice, moderation, and especially philosophy, are paramount to ensure that individuals use their leisure properly.
IV. The Danger of Misusing Leisure
- Proper Use of Good Things (7.15.4):
- Aristotle elaborates that those who have the most blessings and good fortune are the ones most in need of virtues like moderation and justice. He emphasizes that even in the "islands of the blessed," where individuals have everything, it is essential to cultivate these virtues to prevent arrogance and abuse of leisure.
- Leisure as a Double-Edged Sword: When individuals possess an abundance of good things but lack the virtues necessary to manage them, they become arrogant and unjust. Therefore, it is crucial for the best individuals and regimes to use their leisure properly, guided by philosophical contemplation and moderation.
V. Critique of Spartan Virtue Training
- The Limitation of Spartan Training (7.15.5):
- Aristotle critiques the Spartan focus on training virtues only for war and occupation. The Spartans prioritize virtues useful for acquiring external goods, but Aristotle argues that this is insufficient for a truly happy and excellent city.
- Virtue Beyond Utility: Spartans differ from others not because they have a different understanding of what constitutes the best goods, but because they believe these goods are attained through virtues related only to war and conflict.
- Virtue for Leisure: Aristotle asserts that the highest form of virtue is the one that governs the use of goods during leisure, which the Spartans neglect. Virtues for leisure, particularly those of intellectual and philosophical nature, are what lead to a truly excellent and happy life.
- Virtue in Peacetime: Aristotle advocates for a form of virtue that governs the use of material and external goods in times of peace and leisure, as this is where true excellence lies.
VI. Nature, Habit, and Reason in Education
- Educational Foundations (7.15.7):
- Aristotle refers to a distinction he made earlier between nature, habit, and reason, stressing that all three are essential in shaping virtuous citizens.
- The Role of Reason and Habit: He highlights that both reason and habit should be harmonized in the education of citizens, as they reinforce one another. A balance between intellectual development (reason) and practical discipline (habit) is crucial for the formation of virtuous individuals.
- Educating Towards Reason: Aristotle concludes that the ultimate goal of education should be the cultivation of reason and intellect, which are the end and purpose of human nature. This aligns with his broader argument that the highest virtues—those associated with leisure—are intellectual virtues like philosophy.
VII. The Development of Rational and Irrational Parts of the Soul
- Development of Soul and Body (7.15.9):
- Aristotle distinguishes between the irrational and rational parts of the soul. He argues that the irrational part, which includes desires and emotions, develops first in humans, and this must be carefully guided and educated in children.
- Primacy of the Irrational: In the developmental process, the irrational elements of the soul (such as spiritedness and will) are present from birth, while the rational parts (intellect and reasoning) develop later.
- Educational Sequence: Education must begin with the irrational parts of the soul—such as controlling desires and teaching proper habits—before moving on to the development of reason and intellect. Just as the body is prior to the soul in birth, so too are the irrational aspects prior to the rational ones.
VIII. The Role of the Body and Soul in Education
- Hierarchy of Development (7.15.10):
- Aristotle asserts that the body must be educated first, for the body’s health and discipline are necessary for the proper development of the soul.
- Role of Appetite and Intellect: The development of appetite (or desire) is for the sake of the intellect, and the care of the body is ultimately for the benefit of the soul.
- Holistic Approach to Education: Aristotle argues for a holistic educational approach that encompasses the body, the irrational desires, and the rational intellect. Proper education nurtures all these components to achieve the complete development of virtuous citizens.
Conclusion
Aristotle’s Politics 7, Chapter 15, provides a detailed analysis of the role of virtue in the best regime and the best individual life. It emphasizes the need for virtues that govern both occupation and leisure, with a particular focus on intellectual virtues like philosophy in times of peace. Aristotle critiques the Spartan approach to virtue training, which focuses solely on war and acquisition, and advocates for a more comprehensive cultivation of virtue that prepares individuals to use their leisure and good fortune wisely. Finally, Aristotle stresses the importance of education in harmonizing nature, habit, and reason, leading to the full development of the human soul and intellect.
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