How is human existence improved or degraded after the passage of nature to society? Aristotle feels that not only is human existence greatly improved by society but society is absolutely necessary for him to truly and fully experience his existence. Aristotle claims that humanity is only self-sufficient in a society. "The complete community...is the city. It reaches a level of full self- sufficiency, so to speak; and while coming into being for the sake of living, it exists for the sake of living well" (Aristotle p.3). Aristotle is extremely concerned with the ends or telos of things. The closer to achieving the unique telos something comes the more virtuous it is, as is seen in the following passage:
"Every city, therefore, exists by nature, if such also are the first communities. For the city is …show more content…
However, there is an interesting trade off that once receives leaving state of nature and voluntarily entering into a social contract. Although, he seems to admit that there are advantages to living in the community as seen in the following quote? "the gains equally great ones in return. His faculties are exercised and developed, his ideas are broadened, his feelings are ennobled, his entire soul" (Rousseau p.167). This is made possible in his mind by the fact that the social contract is (or is supposed to be) made between individuals of equal freedoms and therefore equal restrictions of freedoms. "For first of all, since each person gives himself whole and entire, the condition is equal for everyone; and since the condition is equal for everyone, no one has an interest in making it burdensome for the others" (Rousseau p.164). Rousseau feels that if everyone enters the social contract and gives him/herself fully to the whole then even though everyone as given up some (natural) freedoms to gain protection in addition to other significant gains as seen in the
"Every city, therefore, exists by nature, if such also are the first communities. For the city is …show more content…
However, there is an interesting trade off that once receives leaving state of nature and voluntarily entering into a social contract. Although, he seems to admit that there are advantages to living in the community as seen in the following quote? "the gains equally great ones in return. His faculties are exercised and developed, his ideas are broadened, his feelings are ennobled, his entire soul" (Rousseau p.167). This is made possible in his mind by the fact that the social contract is (or is supposed to be) made between individuals of equal freedoms and therefore equal restrictions of freedoms. "For first of all, since each person gives himself whole and entire, the condition is equal for everyone; and since the condition is equal for everyone, no one has an interest in making it burdensome for the others" (Rousseau p.164). Rousseau feels that if everyone enters the social contract and gives him/herself fully to the whole then even though everyone as given up some (natural) freedoms to gain protection in addition to other significant gains as seen in the