Ancient Greek Philosophers Plato & Aristotle

Contributions to Western Political Thought

Teacher Preparation

• Copy 1-per-student, back-to-back worksheets: Plato & Aristotle Contributions to Western Political Thought / Letter

• Worksheets are at the end of the lecture• The film clips should play automatically.

If not, simply close the power point and double-click on film icon.

• Key for worksheet is included.

Pair-Share

•What do you know about Ancient Greece?

•What are the differences between the city-states of Athens and Sparta?

Objective

Students will trace the development of the Western political ideas of the rule of law and illegitimacy of tyranny, using selections from Plato's Republic and Aristotle's Politics.

Ancient Greece Introduction

Ancient Greece

Greece is a nation of islands and mountains

the geography resulted in difficulty to communicate and travel between areas

this led to Ancient Greece developing city-states, where individual cities ruled themselves and some of the land around the city

Athens and Sparta rose as the most important city-states

Athens

a coastal city that was a center of

trade

Athenians were used to merchants,

missionaries, artists,

scholars, and travelers

from other countries

Athenians developed democracy

Sparta

located in a valley with huge mountains

few visitors traveled to Sparta

Spartans became war-like and developed totalitarianism

Sparta started totalitarianism

this is a form of government that uses force and power to rule a

people

there were three groups: slaves, known as Helots; Spartan

females, who were taught to be fit, brave, and patriotic; and Spartan males, all of whom

became warriors

newborn males judged to be weak were left to die of exposure,

at the age of seven, boys left home to live in barracks and receive military training from

older boys

boys went barefoot, wore minimal clothing (even in winter),

practiced all forms of athletics, and received military instruction

they married at age 20 but continued to live in the barracks

Helots provided the necessary food and labor for Spartan males

and females

Sparta

Athens introduced democracy

a political system where all citizens participated in governmental activities

all citizens were equal before the law and participated in the

government

slaves and women, however, were not allowed

citizenship

Athenians eventually abolished slavery and

developed a direct democracy where citizens chose the members of the

powerful Assembly

Athenian youth were encouraged to develop artistic and intellectual

talents to such a degree that historians refer to their

developments in the arts and politics as a “Golden

Age”

Athens

Spartaupper classes had all power and privilege

Helots (slaves) did all the work

Athens

all citizens were equal

women and slaves were not allowed to become citizens

Pair-Share: List more differences between Sparta and

Athens

Plato• Plato was born in Athens (Greece) in 428 BC

• a good education was essential

• started a school and had students like Aristotle

•wrote a book called The Republic where he argued that all people should be well-educated

•Oligarchy – 1 ruler (philosopher kings –the wisest)

•Ruler must be a craftsman, public spirited, and skilled in government

• Laws: good for all, a set of guidelines for society

•Plato wanted to create a “Perfect” society

Aristotle• lived in ancient Greece

• tutored Alexander the Great

• believed law and order were needed to stop people becoming selfish and evil

•Government: Democracy (all citizens participate in governing

•Wrote Politics

• best rulers would be a well-educated middle class citizenry

•Laws: Good life for all

•Wanted to improve the society that already existed

Film Clip: Ancient Greek Philosophy

Wrap-Up Activity

• Complete the worksheet: Plato & Aristotle Contributions to Western Political Thought by reading each excerpt and explain the political idea expressed.

• Then, write a letter to either Plato or Aristotle explaining:– 1. Two qualities you admire about the

person– 2. Two ideas you agree with– 3. Two ideas you do not agree with or

do not understand

Plato & AristotleContributions to Western Political Thought

The Republic by Plato

#1: Then, with the ordinary conventions of civilized life thrown into

confusion, human nature,...showed itself proudly in its true colors, as

something incapable of controlling passion, insubordinate to the idea of

justice. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#2: Until philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings

and leading men genuinely and adequately philosophise, that is, until

political power and philosophy entirely coincide, while the many natures

who at present pursue either one exclusively are forcibly prevented

from doing so, cities will have no rest from evils,... nor, I think, will the

human race.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#3Democracy is a charming form of government, full ofvariety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality toequals and unequal alike. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#4: The people have always some champion whom they set over them

and nurse into greatness.... This and no other is the root from which

a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Politics by Aristotle

#1: Justice therefore demands that no one should do more ruling than

being ruled, but that all should have their turn.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#2: But since there is but one aim for the entire state, it follows that

education must be one and the same for all, and that the responsibility

for it must be a public one, not the private affair which it now

s, each man looking after his own children and teaching them privately

whatever private curriculum he thinks they ought to study.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#3: For as man is the best of all animals when he has reached his full

development, so he is worst of all when divorced from law and justice.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

#4: But obviously a state which becomes progressively more and more

of a unity will cease to be a state at all. Plurality of numbers is natural in

a state; and the farther it moves away from plurality towards unity, the

less of a state it becomes and the more a household, and the household

in turn an individual.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Directions: Read each excerpt and explain the political idea expressed.

Directions: Write a letter to either Plato or Aristotle

explaining:1. Two qualities you admire about the

person2. Two ideas you agree with

3. Two ideas you do not agree with or do

not understand

Plato & AristotleContributions to Western Political Thought

The Republic by Plato

#1: Then, with the ordinary conventions of civilized life thrown into

confusion, human nature,...showed itself proudly in its true colors, as

something incapable of controlling passion, insubordinate to the idea of

justice. Answer: Plato saw man's true nature as rational and believedthat civilized society must be organized, and civilized life conductedaccording to rational principles.

#2: Until philosophers rule as kings or those who are now called kings

and leading men genuinely and adequately philosophise, that is, until

political power and philosophy entirely coincide, while the many natures

who at present pursue either one exclusively are forcibly prevented

from doing so, cities will have no rest from evils,... nor, I think, will the

human race.Answer: According to the principles of Athenian Democracy only afew are fit to rule. Instead of rhetoric and persuasion, Plato saysreason and wisdom should govern.

#3Democracy is a charming form of government, full ofvariety and disorder, and dispensing a sort of equality toequals and unequal alike. Answer: Disorder in a democracy comes from the idea that everyone

isequal, although they are really not. Man should do what he is best at.Some are best at ruling, some are not.

#4: The people have always some champion whom they set over them

and nurse into greatness.... This and no other is the root from which

a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector. Answer: Dictators are often chosen by the people because theypromise the protection and peace, not control and tyranny.

Politics by Aristotle

#1: Justice therefore demands that no one should do more ruling than

being ruled, but that all should have their turn.Answer: Aristotle outlines his belief that all citizens should share

inpower so that they can be accustomed to ruling and being ruled.

#2: But since there is but one aim for the entire state, it follows that

education must be one and the same for all, and that the responsibility

for it must be a public one, not the private affair which it now

s, each man looking after his own children and teaching them privately

whatever private curriculum he thinks they ought to study.

Answers: Aristotle develops his argument that the education of the

children of citizens should be a public responsibility, since they are the

future citizens and rulers of the state. 

#3: For as man is the best of all animals when he has reached his full

development, so he is worst of all when divorced from law and justice.

Answer: Aristotle is describing the importance of the relationshipbetween the state and the individual.

#4: But obviously a state which becomes progressively more and more

of a unity will cease to be a state at all. Plurality of numbers is natural in

a state; and the farther it moves away from plurality towards unity, the

less of a state it becomes and the more a household, and the household

in turn an individual.Answer: Aristotle warnings of the dangers of totalitarianism and

the tendency in modern democratic states to manage political opinion with ever-increasing sophistication.

Directions: Read each excerpt and explain the political idea expressed.KEY