Book 6 / Chapter 8
Paragraph 1 - Political and Practical Wisdom
Explanation - Part By Part
"Political wisdom and practical wisdom are the same state of mind, but their essence is not the same."
Aristotle is saying that political wisdom and practical wisdom (phronesis) come from the same general mental capacity—they both involve the ability to think wisely about actions. However, they are not exactly the same in their nature or purpose. In short, they are closely related but serve different specific functions. One focuses on individual actions and choices, while the other deals with broader governance and societal matters.
"Of the wisdom concerned with the city, the practical wisdom which plays a controlling part is legislative wisdom."
Aristotle is saying that when it comes to managing and organizing a city (or society), there’s a type of wisdom that stands out as the most crucial or controlling. This is “legislative wisdom,” which is the ability to establish laws, rules, and structures that guide the city as a whole. In other words, shaping the framework within which people live and interact is considered the highest level of practical wisdom in the context of governance. Legislative wisdom isn’t just about reacting to immediate situations but setting up a vision and order for the long-term health of the community.
"Political wisdom is related to legislative wisdom as particulars to their universal and has to do with action and deliberation."
Aristotle is pointing out that political wisdom and legislative wisdom are interconnected but operate at different levels. Legislative wisdom deals with creating broad, universal rules or laws that apply to everyone in a society—it's about establishing the framework. Political wisdom, on the other hand, is the more hands-on application of these laws to specific situations, focusing on action and decision-making in particular cases. It’s the skill of applying those universal principles to real-life scenarios through careful thinking and deliberation.
"This is why the exponents of this art are alone said to 'take part in politics'; for these alone 'do things' as manual labourers 'do things'."
Aristotle is drawing a parallel between political leaders (or those deeply involved in political decision-making) and manual laborers. Just as manual laborers physically craft things or take concrete action to produce something, those who truly "take part in politics" are the ones who actively make decisions, implement policies, and take tangible actions to affect the lives of others. They aren't just theorizing or discussing ideas; they are the ones responsible for turning ideas and deliberations into reality. In this sense, Aristotle emphasizes that political wisdom involves practical action and execution, not just abstract thinking or planning.