Aristotle's Theory Of Human Nature Essay

In continuing his explanation, Tinder points to one of the masters of this mode of thinking: Thomas Hobbes. According to Hobbesian philosophy, human life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” and ones essence is that of eternal war against all others (Tinder 27). Hobbes breaks his understanding of human nature down further by explaining that there is a psychological and ontological level of estrangement (Tinder 27-28). The psychological level of ones estrangement exists because all people are in the pursuit of their own self interest and preservation of life, which is why riches and power are commonly strived towards. In other words, all person are essentially egotistical. Hobbes is quick to point out, however, that this egoism is neither “perverse… nor avoidable,” for it is one’s natural self (Tinder 27). This constant pursuit of power will only end when one reaches death (Tinder 27). The ontological level, which sits …show more content…
“Politics,” one of his most famous works, alludes to his opinion on the essence of human nature in various ways. To fully understand his opinions on this subject, this work will also be summarized and analyzed to show the relationship between Aristotle’s opinions of human nature to the work of Glenn Tinder. Aristotle’s opinion of human nature is written about most extensively in the first book of “Politics” ("Political Naturalism."). He begins by saying that the city- state aims to the “highest good” and that it is composed of a “community of some kind” (Somerville and Santoni 59). In a naturalist approach to this question, he asserts that he will break the city-state down to its elements so that each may be examined individually. The most elementary part of the city-state is the relationship between men and women for reproductive purposes with the unit of family following afterwards (Somerville and Santoni