PHI 2183 Chapter Notes -Real Humans, Atomism, Ethical Subjectivism
4 Feb 2014
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
However that may be superficially so, the differences in approach are nevertheless profound: atomism versus sociality: Aristotle analyses individuals within the polis, which is a natural institution. It is natural for humans to live in society. So their social nature is evident and primary. Civil society (hobbes) would be like beasts or gods , not even real humans. (bk 1). For hobbes, individuals in state of nature (outside of civil society) are morally competent beings with complete sets of relevant interests, and capable of forming compacts and other moral undertakings. Typical interests of humans are engendered in society as social beings: desire for glory, honour, admiration, power, avoiding shame, ridicule, etc. And moral competence can only develop in social life (and even then not for everybody and not to the same degree). Political implications: hobbes" atomism lends itself to a restricted understanding of vital human interests in social/political organization.
