ancient political theory final
- Compare and contrast Plato’s ideal republic to Aristotle’s description of the “best” constitution. What are the primary characteristics of each political system, and how does each relate to Plato’s (transcendent) and Aristotle’s (immanent) differing theories of form? And, lastly, choose one thinker in the Christian era (either St. Augustine or St. Thomas Aquinas) to highlight in connection to Plato and Aristotle. That is, how does St. Augustine’s or Thomas Aquinas’s theorization of human nature and politics compare to, or differ from, Plato’s and Aristotle’s respective theorizations? Be sure to cite specific passages from the assigned readings to substantiate your argument, and answer each part of the question.
- How does St. Aquinas’s view of human nature and reason (which can be discerned from his discussion of the different kinds of law) compare to, or differ from Aristotle’s? And, why does St. Aquinas say that law is distinct from reason?