Aristotle begins by explaining the definition of good and
the purpose of man. He then describes how man can function to achieve good, and
defines happiness as the chief end of man. Aristotle then spends the rest of
the book talking about the ideal man: his virtues, actions, beliefs, and the
importance of high-mindedness.
Aristotle proposes a seeming oxymoron; good things harm
people. Wealth is a good thing but it corrupts, and courage is an outstanding
quality but it leads to more deaths than lives. Good, he says, will ultimately
perish because “evil is infinite…while good is finite”. The ideal end of man is
happiness, and to achieve happiness reflects success. There is little hope in
this worldview, and little reason to live, but for fleeting happiness.
Aristotle also describes the ideal condition for a
city-state and its government. He begins by describing the importance of a good
location that is situated where it can be accessible by sea and very habitable,
but must be very inhabitable for enemies. The population of the city-state
should be limited to conserve resources. The city-state should have a powerful
navy. Additionally, the citizens should not engage in menial labor, but have
servants. Finally, its government should exist to establish and protect the
virtue of happiness in its citizenry. The highest goal of the city is universal
happiness.
The description of the ideal city-state shows
communalism. While private property is allowed, the goal of the government and
the citizens is to make and keep everyone happy. Just as with his view of an
ideal man, Aristotle’s view of the ideal city-state gives no real hope for the
future but the desire for happiness. Happiness is the highest goal of the city,
and it cannot exist without it. However, it can be taken away at any moment,
and can never be guaranteed for the future of the citizens. Once again, there
is no hope in this worldview.
Though they were master and apprentice, Plato and
Aristotle had vastly different worldviews. Plato believed in the infinite form
of Goodness that was central to our being. Evil was a lack of goodness, and did
not exist in the perfect world. Aristotle taught that good fades while only
evil is eternal. Plato had the hope that he would pass into the eternal realm
after his death. His last words reflect his view, “We go our ways-I to die, and
you to live. Which is better God only knows.” Plato had a very similar view on
life to Paul, both knowing that “to die is gain.” They possessed hope. We as
Christians have hope that we will be with God in heaven and that evil will be
defeated at the last day. Hope is what drives us to achieve; true hope in the
eternal, not carnal hope for fleeting happiness.
The idea of communalism in Aristotle in regard to his
ideal city-state is very similar to Xenophon’s description of Sparta. Both
believed that citizens were above menial work and should subject slaves to work
for them. They believed that high-mindedness and pride were essential to a
government because they are above all mankind. This separation of humanity is
found in Plato’s work as well, but in a much different context. Plato believed
that knowledge led to freedom to ascend to the upper world. He, unlike Aristotle,
knew that the responsibility of the upper world was to go back to the shadow
world, the cave, and to free the rest of mankind. As Christians also we must
realize the importance of our freedom and that we no longer belong to this
world but are here for the purpose of freeing others from the bondage of sin. Humility
is what Aristotle lacked, and the selfishness of man is its downfall. Aesop
warned that vices are often their own downfall and the Greek hubris as seen in Aristotle and Xenophon
is its golden example. Without eternal hope, we are only humans chained by our
sin, forced to only see shadows of reality, in hopes that we may someday
achieve happiness. Once we are free, our hope is in Christ Jesus, who gives our
lives true purpose.
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