Aristotle on Politics [Presentation Thursdays]

As I've said before, it's nearly impossible to talk about political thought without discussing classic Greek philosophers. And among classic Greek philosophers, it doesn't get much better than Aristotle, whose Politics details his various ideas on the subject.

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What is remarkable about Aristotle is both the depth of his ideas and his methodical approach to presenting them. He quite convincingly argues, for instance, why man is a political animal, and moreover explains why the end of politics must be "the good life". These are lessons we would do well to heed today, lest people forget that politics is not the exclusive province of politicians.

Also, the fact that Aristotle clearly considered democracy as mob rule never failed to scandalize students, which was amusing in its own way.

The slides below are my attempt at drawing some broader lessons about Aristotle's ideas. Make of them what you will.

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