Study Guide, Test 2: Aristotle, Politics & Hobbes, Leviathan
HSPH 102, Dr. Hoffmann ⋅ 03/26/ 2015
Aristotle, Politics.
In addition to the indicated texts, see the summary statements in the handouts.
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What is the end of a state, that is, what it is good for? (Pol. 1.1–2)
How do the three forms of society Aristotle distinguishes differ? (Pol. 1.2)
What does it mean that human beings are political animals? (Pol. 1.2)
For what kind of slaves is it good to be under a master, and for which reason? (Pol. 1.5–6)
Who qualifies as a citizen? (Pol. 3.1 and first sentence of Pol. 3.2)
How does Aristotle define the term “constitution”? (Pol. 3.6 + 3.9)
What are the six basic forms of constitution Aristotle distinguishes? (Pol. 3.7)
What is the relation between a flourishing (i.e., happy) state and a flourishing individual?
(Pol. 7.1–2)
Why is it the task of the state to secure moral education? (handout # 13)
Of these questions, answer the one you have not answered in the written assignment:
(1) What are the advantages and disadvantages of democracy, i.e., that the “multitude”
have the supreme rule, rather than the few best? (Pol. 3.11)
(2) Is it more advantageous to be ruled by the best man or by the best laws? (Pol. 3.15)
(3) How do oligarchies deceive the people (i.e., the poor)? How do democracies deceive
the rich? (Pol. 4.13)
Hobbes: Leviathan
On the test: be sure to be able to give DETAILED responses to these questions:
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What determines the worth of a person? (10.16) – On this picture: does a person have absolute worth or only relative worth?
What does Hobbes mean by the “natural condition” and how does he describe it? (ch. 13)
Why do people become enemies to each other in the natural condition? (11.1–3 and
13.1–3)
Explain the terms “right of nature” and “law of nature” and how they differ. (14.1–3)
Which are the first three laws of nature? (14.4–5; 15.1) – How is the commonwealth: as
Hobbes conceives it, based upon these three laws of nature?
What does Hobbes mean by the words “justice” and “injustice”? (15.1–3)
Are there any laws in the natural condition? Are there justice and injustice? Why or why
not? (13.10, 13.13, 15.1–3)
What is the “final cause” of a commonwealth? (That is, for what reason does it come
about?) (17.1)
Why does a commonwealth not simply come about by nature? And why are “covenants
without the sword but words”? (17.2)
How does Hobbes define the “commonwealth”? (17.13) Put it in your own words.
How is a commonwealth instituted? (17.13 and 18.1, see above all footnote 1, which gives
the text from the Latin edition)
What are the limits of Sovereign Power? (18.3–13)
Learn by heart: in the natural condition, life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
(13.9)
Comparisons
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Compare Aristotle and Hobbes on the (1) origin and the (2) end of a state, that is,
(1) how it comes about and (2) what it is good for!