아리스토텔레스의 인간론: 정치적 동물로서의 인간
Aristotle's Theory of Human Being as a Political Animal
한상수
초록
[Abstract] Aristotle's Theory of Human Being as a Political Animal Han, Sang-Su Aristotle insists that human being is by nature a political animal(zoon politikon). This proposition is one of Aristotle's political naturalist theses which also contain the proposition that the state(polis) exists by nature and the proposition that the state is by nature prior to the individual. This proposition is not the definition of human being but a description of the essential characteristic of human being. By the proposition, Aristotle suggests that haman being has not only the attribute as an animal but also the political nature. This has the following implications. First, man as an animal has the desires for self-preservation and reproduction. Second, because human being cannot satisfy these desires in isolation, he has to constitute some kinds of community to realize his material autarky. Third, the state is the highest and best form of community to realize his material autarky. Fourth, in order that the state continues to exist and function, every member of the state should fulfill his ethical autarky. Fifth, the fulfillment of ethical autarky requires the members of the state to perform various virtues, especially justice and friendship. Sixth, the members of the state are enforced to perform these virtues by means of law and education. Finally, human being has three principal impetuses to the formation of the state: human being's lack of the capability to realize his self-autarky, his innate impulse for community without regard to the help from others, and his capacity of reason and speech(logos). In conclusion, the political animal proposition means that human being is an animal that builds the state in order to realize his material and ethical autarky on the basis of reason and speech.