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Single Idea 2819

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / d. Elites ]

Full Idea

The only virtue special to a ruler is practical wisdom.

Clarification

'Practical wisdom' is the Greek word 'phronesis'

Gist of Idea

The only virtue special to a ruler is practical wisdom

Source

Aristotle (Politics [c.332 BCE], 1277b27)

Book Ref

Aristotle: 'Politics', ed/tr. Sinclair,T.A. /Saunders,T. [Penguin 1992], p.182

A Reaction

If a person with wide social powers is to have practical wisdom, that will require extensive knowledge, in a way that local practical wisdom does not.

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]