Book 1 / Chapter 13
Paragraph 1 - The Study of Virtue and the Soul in Politics
Explanation - Part By Part
"Since happiness is an activity of soul in accordance with perfect virtue, we must consider the nature of virtue; for perhaps we shall thus see better the nature of happiness."
Aristotle is saying that happiness is not just a fleeting feeling or a passive state of being—it's something deeper. It's about activity and how we live our lives, specifically the activity of the soul (our inner essence). This activity, however, needs to align with "perfect virtue," meaning the highest and most complete expression of moral excellence. If we want to truly understand what happiness is, we need to unpack what virtue is, because understanding virtue will help us understand the kind of life that leads to real happiness.
"The true student of politics, too, is thought to have studied virtue above all things; for he wishes to make his fellow citizens good and obedient to the laws."
This part emphasizes that anyone serious about studying politics should primarily focus on understanding virtue. Why? Because the ultimate aim of a true politician or lawmaker is to guide the citizens toward being morally good and following the laws. It’s not just about creating rules or maintaining order, but about shaping the character and behavior of the community in a virtuous way. Politics, in this sense, becomes a moral endeavor, meant to improve people, not just organize them.
"As an example of this we have the lawgivers of the Cretans and the Spartans, and any others of the kind that there may have been."
Aristotle uses the lawgivers of ancient societies like the Cretans and Spartans as examples of individuals who focused heavily on promoting virtue among their people. These leaders aimed to create laws and systems that cultivated good character and moral behavior, shaping citizens to not only follow the laws but also to live virtuously. Essentially, he's pointing to these historical figures to show how political leaders can prioritize the moral and ethical development of their communities, viewing this as a key goal of governance.
"And if this inquiry belongs to political science, clearly the pursuit of it will be in accordance with our original plan."
Aristotle is stating that examining the concept of virtue and its relationship to happiness aligns with the overall objective of political science. In his view, political science isn't just about governing people or drafting laws—it fundamentally seeks to create conditions in which citizens can thrive and achieve happiness. So, if exploring virtue is essential to understanding happiness, and happiness is the ultimate goal for humans (and society), then this investigation fits naturally within the framework of political science, as originally intended.
"But clearly the virtue we must study is human virtue; for the good we were seeking was human good and the happiness human happiness."
Aristotle is highlighting that the virtues we need to examine are human virtues because the ultimate goal we are striving for is also a human good—the kind of happiness that applies specifically to human life. He is reminding us that our focus must remain on what it means for a human being to live well and achieve fulfillment, rather than on abstract ideals or virtues unrelated to the human experience. Happiness, as Aristotle defines it, is uniquely tied to living out the best version of our humanity.
"By human virtue we mean not that of the body but that of the soul; and happiness also we call an activity of soul."
In this part, Aristotle emphasizes that when he talks about "human virtue," he is not referring to physical strength or bodily excellence, but to qualities of the soul—essentially, the inner moral and intellectual character of a person. Similarly, happiness, in his view, is not about external things or physical pleasures but is understood as an activity of the soul. This means true happiness comes from living in alignment with one’s inner virtues, engaging the soul in a meaningful, virtuous way of life. It's not about fleeting feelings but about the deeper fulfillment that comes from a life well-lived according to one’s highest potential.
"But if this is so, clearly the student of politics must know somehow the facts about soul, as the man who is to heal the eyes or the body as a whole must know about the eyes or the body;"
Aristotle is drawing an analogy here to emphasize the importance of understanding the human soul when it comes to the study of politics. Just as a doctor focuses on understanding the body or specific parts like the eyes to heal them effectively, a person studying politics (essentially a leader or lawmaker) must understand the soul because their job is to guide and improve the lives of people. Since happiness and virtue are connected to the soul, a deep understanding of it is essential for shaping good laws, fostering moral citizens, and creating a thriving society.
"and all the more since politics is more prized and better than medicine; but even among doctors the best educated spend much labour on acquiring knowledge of the body."
In this part, Aristotle is making a comparison to emphasize the importance of understanding the soul when studying politics. He argues that since politics is considered a higher and more honorable field than medicine (because it deals with organizing society and promoting the highest good for humans), it is even more crucial for political scholars to thoroughly study the soul. Just as the best doctors invest significant effort into understanding the human body in order to treat it effectively, those who engage in politics should dedicate themselves to understanding the soul, as politics aims at guiding human behavior and fostering virtue.
"The student of politics, then, must study the soul, and must study it with these objects in view, and do so just to the extent which is sufficient for the questions we are discussing; for further precision is perhaps something more laborious than our purposes require."
Aristotle is saying here that someone studying politics (or governance) needs to have an understanding of the human soul, but only to the degree necessary to address the subject at hand—how to create a good life for citizens and manage a well-functioning society. He notes that while diving deeply into the complexities of the soul might be fascinating or useful in other contexts, it isn’t needed for this particular purpose. In short, you don’t have to become an expert in every detail of human psychology to understand the basics of what makes people virtuous or happy and build a political system around that.