Plato And Aristotle On Justice And Law - 1565 Words

Plato and Aristotle lived in a time where rule of man was the common practice in government. Under the system of the rule of man, citizens are governed by an individual or small group of rulers. On the other hand, the idea of the rule of law is one that proposes that laws should be supreme over each citizen including the ruler(s). In their writings, Plato and Aristotle focused on justice and law, and the reasons they are important in society. Throughout history, many leaders have looked to these writings in hopes of establishing order and discipline in their nation through law. Although Plato and Aristotle ruled in a world ruled by men, they contributed to the idea of the rule of law, because they explained that laws should be just and the punishment should be proportional to the crime, the laws brings order and discipline to a society, the laws should restrain the people from pleasures, the laws should breed good men and the laws should be supreme. In Plato’s Apology, he tell s the story of Socrates’ trial, which shows us why the rule of man doesn’t work, therefore laws should rule the nation. We also find the need for the laws to be just and for the punishment to be proportionate to the crime. Socrates’ charges were brought upon him, because the men in charge believed that through his associations with Alcablades, the soldier that costed Athens the war, and some Spartan, the victors of the war, he was part of the reason they lost the Peleponnessian War. This was unjustShow MoreRelatedThe Formations Of The Mankind System1568 Words   |  7 Pagesdeveloped their own laws of living in order to control and coordinate the relations between them and to avoid chaos in community. Consequently, from this decision arisen another important question – in what way and by whom should the laws be developed and regulated. The main ideas of the laws are to protect the rights of every individual, to ensure peace, to state the norms of social behavior; therefore they should be based on fairness and equality that are involved in the concept of justice. Since the yearsRead MoreComparing Aristotle and Plato Essays1325 Words   |  6 PagesComparing Aristotle and Plato Aristotle argues that in order for a polis to emerge, a union between man and women must convene. Later a household must be introduced which unites with other households to form a village, villages come together to form city-states. This theory is Aristotle’s natural view that an individual can not be self sufficient Plato argues that, in order to achieve absolute justice, a city-state is needed. In The Republic, Plato builds around the idea of Philosopher RulersRead MoreLaw Is A Social Institution1390 Words   |  6 PagesWhen one thinks of law and the studying of law, they typically think of lots of reading, books, and complex terms, and the idea sounds more or less very strict and uninteresting. Studying law yes does require all the previous mentioned, but it’s also so much more than that. Law is a social institution and as we know different places have different sets of laws for the people residing in them to follow. Studying law is yes learning all of the rules and regulations that create that law but it is alsoRead MoreAristotle And Plato s Views On Politics And Morality Essay1480 Words   |  6 Pagesthinkers, Aristotle and Plato. Aristotle and Plato have two fundamentally differing views on politics and how it links to morality. Morality to Aristotle and Plato will be analysed through their version of how politics utensils morality to carry out legislation o r create a universal manner carried out by the citizens. To achieve this, this essay will examine the following points, Human nature and human soul. This essay will argue how the human nature and human soul differ on its viewpoint of justice andRead MoreGreek Justice : Plato And Aristotle1085 Words   |  5 PagesPhilosophers and Justice as the Greek World Expands in 400-150 BCE Justice could be the defined as the quality of being fair and reasonable, during the period of 400-150 BCE when the Greek civilization was being formed. Plato and Aristotle are philosphers, who are leading figures of ancient Greek civilization and both discussed justice and established theories about the views of being just. Plato was a student of Socrates, and Aristotle was a student of Plato. Aristotle and Plato had different philosophiesRead MoreThe Ideal Society As Suggested By Plato993 Words   |  4 PagesThe ideal society as suggested by Plato is composed of three classes: the producers, the auxiliaries, and the guardians. The producers are the craftsmen, farmers etc.; the auxiliaries are the warriors/soldiers; and the guardians are the rulers. This hierarchy places the rulers at the top of the food chain followed by the auxiliaries with the producers at the bottom. In this society, each group is required to perform is appropriate function and only that function. It is the rulers’ job to rule,Read MoreCritical Analysis of Plato and Aristotle1634 Words   |  7 PagesPOL 311 (HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT) TOPIC A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PLATO AND ARISTOTLES POLITICAL THOUGHT WRITTEN BY OKWOR, STEPHEN USHIE 09/ED/EF/814 DEPT OF EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS (POLITICAL SCIENCE UNIT) FACULTY OF EDUCATION SUBMITTED TO DR. EJERE DEPT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF UYO, UYO AKWA IBOM STATE MAY, 2012 A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PLATO AND ARISTOTLES POLITICAL THOUGHT In order to compare these great philosophers, it isRead MoreComparing Aristotle and Plato Essay793 Words   |  4 PagesComparing Aristotle and Plato We have two great philosophers, Plato and Aristotle. These are great men, whose ideas have not been forgotten over years. Although their thoughts of politics were similar, we find some discrepancies in their teachings. The ideas stem from Socrates to Plato to Aristotle. Plato based moral knowledge on abstract reason, while Aristotle grounded it on experience and tried to apply it more to concrete living. Both ways of life are well respected by many people todayRead MorePlato and Aristotle: An Analysis1175 Words   |  5 Pagesof Plato and Aristotle regarding the best political association. Quotes from Politics and the Republic are used to support the author’s thesis. Plato and Aristotle: An Analysis Determining the best form of political association was important to the ancient Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle, and each of them expressed his opinion in important works such as the Republic and Politics. In explaining, comparing, and contrasting the political philosophies of Plato and Aristotle, itRead MoreNatural Law And Human Law1515 Words   |  7 Pages‘An unjust law cannot be a valid law’ In the light of Natural Law and Positivist theories, assess the accuracy of the above statement. Intro Natural law Natural Law Theory seeks to explain ‘Law’ as a phenomenon which in order to be valid must meet the standards of a ‘higher law’ based on morality. Natural law is so called because it is believed to exist independently of human will. It is ‘natural’ in the sense that it is not humanly created. Natural law theories are theories about the relation between