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Single Idea 2847

[filed under theme 25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 5. Education / a. Aims of education ]

Full Idea

One might perhaps suppose that serious activity in childhood may have for its aim the amusement of the complete and adult man.

Gist of Idea

The aim of serious childhood play is the amusement of the complete adult

Source

Aristotle (Politics [c.332 BCE], 1339a30)

Book Ref

Aristotle: 'Politics', ed/tr. Sinclair,T.A. /Saunders,T. [Penguin 1992], p.462

A Reaction

It is very Aristotelian to have a concept of 'serious' childhood play. I doubt whether Nichomachus had much fun. Aristotle thinks the good amusement of adults is very important.

The 115 ideas from 'Politics'

2431 Every state is an association formed for some good purpose [Aristotle]
22521 Our method of inquiry is to examine the smallest parts that make up the whole [Aristotle]
22522 To grasp something, trace it back to its natural origins [Aristotle]
2801 Intelligence which looks ahead is a natural master, while bodily strength is a natural slave [Aristotle]
2800 The best instruments have one purpose, not many [Aristotle]
2802 Men imagine gods to be of human shape, with a human lifestyle [Aristotle]
22523 The community (of villages) becomes a city when it is totally self-sufficient [Aristotle]
22524 The nature of each thing is its mature state [Aristotle]
2803 Man is by nature a political animal [Aristotle]
1570 Human beings, alone of the animals, have logos [Aristotle]
1574 Reasoning distinguishes what is beneficial, and hence what is right [Aristotle]
2805 A community must share a common view of good and justice [Aristotle]
22525 The whole is prior to its parts, because parts are defined by their role [Aristotle]
22526 People who are anti-social or wholly self-sufficient are no part of a city [Aristotle]
2806 Man is the worst of all animals when divorced from law and justice [Aristotle]
22527 Justice is the order in a political community [Aristotle]
2807 Some say slavery is unnatural and created by convention, and is therefore forced, and unjust [Aristotle]
21358 Natural slaves are those naturally belonging to another, or who can manage no more than labouring [Aristotle]
22528 The nature of all animate things is to have one part which rules it [Aristotle]
2808 Master and slave can have friendship through common interests [Aristotle]
2809 If nature makes everything for a purpose, then plants and animals must have been made for man [Aristotle]
22529 Men are natural leaders (apart from the unnatural ones) [Aristotle]
22530 Both women and children should be educated, as this contributes to a city's excellence [Aristotle]
22531 We aim to understand the best possible community for free people [Aristotle]
22532 A city can't become entirely one, because its very nature is to be a multitude [Aristotle]
22533 If the people are equal in nature, then they should all share in ruling [Aristotle]
22534 People care less about what is communal, and more about what is their own [Aristotle]
22535 Friendship is the best good for cities, because it reduces factions [Aristotle]
22536 There could be private land and public crops, or public land and private crops, or both public [Aristotle]
22537 Property should be owned privately, but used communally [Aristotle]
2810 Selfishness is wrong not because it is self-love, but because it is excessive [Aristotle]
22538 Owning and sharing property communally increases disagreements [Aristotle]
2811 A state is plural, and needs education to make it a community [Aristotle]
2813 It is quite possible to live a moderate life and yet be miserable [Aristotle]
22539 Election of officials by the elected is dangerous, because factions can control it [Aristotle]
2814 Phaleas proposed equality of property, provided there is equality of education [Aristotle]
22540 Wealth could be quickly leveled by only the rich giving marriage dowries [Aristotle]
2816 If it is easy to change the laws, that makes them weaker [Aristotle]
2817 It is wrong that a worthy officer of state should seek the office [Aristotle]
22541 Kings should be selected according to character [Aristotle]
22542 People who buy public office will probably expect to profit from it [Aristotle]
22543 In large communities it is better if more people participate in the offices [Aristotle]
22544 A citizen is someone who is allowed to hold official posts in a city [Aristotle]
2818 The virtues of a good citizen are relative to a particular constitution [Aristotle]
22545 A person can be an excellent citizen without being an excellent man [Aristotle]
2819 The only virtue special to a ruler is practical wisdom [Aristotle]
2820 People want to live together, even when they don't want mutual help [Aristotle]
22546 A city is a community of free people, and the constitution should aim at the common advantage [Aristotle]
2821 The six constitutions are monarchy/tyranny, aristocracy/oligarchy, and polity/democracy [Aristotle]
22547 Justice is equality for equals, and inequality for unequals [Aristotle]
22548 A city aims at living well [Aristotle]
2823 The many may add up to something good, even if they are inferior as individuals [Aristotle]
2824 The collective judgement of many people on art is better than that of an individual [Aristotle]
22549 In many cases, the claim that the majority is superior would apply equally to wild beasts [Aristotle]
22550 It is dreadful to neither give a share nor receive a share [Aristotle]
22551 Correct law should be in control, with rulers only deciding uncertain issues [Aristotle]
2825 The good is obviously justice, which benefits the whole community, and involves equality in some sense [Aristotle]
22552 The rich can claim to rule, because of land ownership, and being more trustworthy [Aristotle]
22553 Justice is a virtue of communities [Aristotle]
22554 It is said that we should not stick strictly to written law, as it is too vague [Aristotle]
2826 Like water, large numbers of people are harder to corrupt than a few [Aristotle]
22555 The function of good men is to confer benefits [Aristotle]
2827 It is preferable that law should rule rather than any single citizen [Aristotle]
2828 Law is intelligence without appetite [Aristotle]
2829 The law is the mean [Aristotle]
22556 Laws that match people's habits are more effective than mere written rules [Aristotle]
22557 Virtuous people are like the citizens of the best city [Aristotle]
22558 Constitutions specify distribution of offices, the authorities, and the community's aim [Aristotle]
22560 Popular leaders only arise in democracies that are not in accord with the law [Aristotle]
22561 The rich are seen as noble, because they don't need to commit crimes [Aristotle]
2830 We can claim an equal right to aristocratic virtue, as well as to wealth or freedom [Aristotle]
22562 Choosing officials by lot is democratic [Aristotle]
22563 The middle classes are neither ambitious nor anarchic, which is good [Aristotle]
22564 Community is based on friends, who are equal and similar, and share things [Aristotle]
2832 The state aims to consist as far as possible of those who are like and equal [Aristotle]
22565 The best communities rely on a large and strong middle class [Aristotle]
22566 The greed of the rich is more destructive than the greed of the people [Aristotle]
22567 Democracy arises when people who are given equal freedom assume unconditional equality [Aristotle]
22568 Faction is for inferiors to be equal, and equals to become superior [Aristotle]
22569 The Heraeans replaced election with lot, to thwart campaigning [Aristotle]
22570 Rhetoric now enables good speakers to become popular leaders [Aristotle]
22571 'If each is small, so too are all' is in one way false, for the whole composed of all is not small [Aristotle]
2833 Equality is obviously there to help people who do not get priority in the constitution [Aristotle]
22572 Officers should like the constitution, be capable, and have appropriate virtues and justice [Aristotle]
22573 The virtue of justice may be relative to a particular constitution [Aristotle]
22574 A community can lack self-control [Aristotle]
22575 Ultimate democracy is tyranny [Aristotle]
20092 One principle of liberty is to take turns ruling and being ruled [Aristotle]
22576 No office is permanent in a democracy [Aristotle]
2834 It is always the weak who want justice and equality, not the strong [Aristotle]
2835 Any constitution can be made to last for a day or two [Aristotle]
2973 We must decide the most desirable human life before designing a constitution [Aristotle]
22577 What is the best life for everyone, and is that a communal or an individual problem? [Aristotle]
2836 God is not blessed and happy because of external goods, but because of his own nature [Aristotle]
22578 The happiest city is the one that acts most nobly [Aristotle]
22579 The same four cardinal virtues which apply to individuals also apply to a city [Aristotle]
22580 The best constitution enables everyone to live the best life [Aristotle]
2837 Nothing contrary to nature is beautiful [Aristotle]
22581 The size of a city is decided by the maximum self-sufficient community that can be surveyed [Aristotle]
22582 Spirit [thumos] is the capacity by which we love [Aristotle]
22583 The guardians should not be harsh to strangers, as no one should behave like that [Aristotle]
22584 A community should all share to some extent in something like land or food [Aristotle]
22585 Look at all of the citizens before judging a city to be happy [Aristotle]
2840 The whole state should pay for the worship of the gods [Aristotle]
2841 People become good because of nature, habit and reason [Aristotle]
22586 Only humans have reason [Aristotle]
2842 Men learn partly by habit, and partly by listening [Aristotle]
22587 Understanding is the aim of our nature [Aristotle]
2844 Abortions should be procured before the embryo has acquired life and sensation [Aristotle]
22588 A city has a single end, so education must focus on that, and be communal, not private [Aristotle]
22589 Citizens do not just own themselves, but are also parts of the city [Aristotle]
2845 Free and great-souled men do not keep asking "what is the use of it?" [Aristotle]
2846 Music can mould the character to be virtuous (just as gymnastics trains the body) [Aristotle]
2847 The aim of serious childhood play is the amusement of the complete adult [Aristotle]
22590 Virtue is concerned with correct feelings [Aristotle]