StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Compare Aristotle justice theory to Machiavelli's justice theory - Research Paper Example

Cite this document
Summary
Name: Instructor: Course: Date: Comparison of Aristotle’s justice theory to Machiavelli’s Justice Theory Aristotle, a great philosopher, formulated the theory of social justice, which is extremely related to the contemporary western idea of justice. This justice theory is based on the vital idea that fairness is proportional to equality1…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER94.3% of users find it useful
Compare Aristotle justice theory to Machiavellis justice theory
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Compare Aristotle justice theory to Machiavelli's justice theory"

Download file to see previous pages

Therefore, this is never something of ruthless power grab, but focuses on the well-being of everyone. This expression of justice is extremely different from Aristotle’s point of view, who insists that justice is based on proportions, and anything less does not qualify to be just. Therefore, this paper supports that Aristotle’s definition of justice is more definite than Machiavelli’s definition of justice because it proves some fairness in its application and is easy to understand. According to Machiavelli, injustice is a stronger, at liberty, and more masterful than justice2.

He also implies justice as a significant aspect of liberty. This perception also proves that those in positions of political power dictate justice more than the peace loving and righteous citizens do. Aristotle, on the other hand, did not only describe justice on proportions, but specified that for it to prevail, equal cases should be treated alike, and unequal cases be treated differently. Therefore, being treated differently should be in direct proportions to the inequalities between the cases.

This, in other terms, is principally treating similar and t dissimilar dissimilarly3. Machiavelli, as an avid reader and follower of works of other prominent philosophers like Cicero, based his definition of justice from the early works of Cicero. He developed the definition of justice, based on Cicero’s ideas, as giving each person his or her dues4. However, ensuring everyone receives fair dues is extremely significant, and no one’s interests should ever be excluded unfairly or subjected to the self-interests of other people.

According to Machiavelli, justice is based on fairness, and everyone should have equal opportunities to explain and account for their sides. Machiavelli was also a philosopher, during the renaissance period, which is a time of revamping of the economies through new means of production. There was also a great insist on religion for most philosophers. His writing of the prince depicts the prince as a ‘Judeo-Christian man’ with absolute characteristics. It is to this that his description on justice had mixed feelings.

The prince was also the overall ruler who gave all final decisions on justice based on his personal thoughts. Aristotle believed that equality is based upon everyone, and even those in power should be treated on the same grounds. The fields of stressing equality were considered in terms of relevancy or irrelevancy of the case. The Aristotelian school of thought would allow a judge to give a ruling based on religion. The best example is a court case involving a Muslim and a Christian where a judge gave a ruling in favour of the Christian on a religion basis.

This verdict was based on the theory of treating similar cases similarly and the dissimilar cases dissimilarly. This aptly proves that Aristotle theory of justice was biased in some aspects because basing judgement on religion is explicitly irrelevant. Aristotle also reiterates that justice requires proportionality. This in simple terms means that every person is treated equally with respect to the distribution of benefits and rights of the society. Relevant reasons should be available for treating anyone unequal.

Therefore, this justifies inequalities, which relates to claiming justice based on certain provisions. Aristotle’s works, on social justice, have insisted on radical

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Compare Aristotle justice theory to Machiavelli's justice theory Research Paper”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/history/1476617-compare-aristotle-justice-theory-to-machiavelli-s
(Compare Aristotle Justice Theory to Machiavelli'S Justice Theory Research Paper)
https://studentshare.org/history/1476617-compare-aristotle-justice-theory-to-machiavelli-s.
“Compare Aristotle Justice Theory to Machiavelli'S Justice Theory Research Paper”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/history/1476617-compare-aristotle-justice-theory-to-machiavelli-s.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Compare Aristotle justice theory to Machiavelli's justice theory

Critical Exposition of Knowledge

Indeed these were middle concerns of academics such as aristotle in ancient Greece, Confucius in antique China, and Machiavelli in medieval Italy.... According to the expert analysis bureaucratic management materialized from the work of Max Weber, who residential an "ideal replica" organisation, hierarchical in configuration, administers by a set of unfriendly, proper rules and policies....
14 Pages (3500 words) Essay

Leadership and Change

This essay discusses that demographic changes, developments in technology and market strategies that occurred throughout the 1990s - early 2000s resulted in grave changes that affected virtually all aspects of a business organisation's functioning....  … As the paper outlines skilled, loyal and motivated employees remain perhaps the only reliable asset and competitive advantage of modern companies....
16 Pages (4000 words) Essay

The Philosophical Theories

nbsp; Also, the author describes how machiavelli's positions have contrasted greatly with the views of Aristotle and Plato, particularly their views on the government and the State.... This paper provides a careful analysis of the theories of aristotle, Plato, and Machiavelli....
16 Pages (4000 words) Term Paper

Lying and Deception in Professions

Lying and deception is commonly practiced in varied professions specially in lawyering, health care, law enforcement, research, management, and others, such that the act has been accepted as part and parcel of the profession.... Yet going over the ethical codes of different… ons, for example in universities and professional associations, not one has negated the immorality of lying and deception in the professions; telling the truth has been always the maxim (Gert 1988, cited in Berreman 2003, p....
10 Pages (2500 words) Essay

Leadership and Change

The paper "Leadership and Change" concerns the phenomenon of leadership, why it is the vital aspect of HRM, and leadership definitions due to the variations in theoretical approaches.... The study focuses on the trait, skills, behavior approaches, transactional, and transformational leadership models....
16 Pages (4000 words) Report

Machiavelli's Advice to Obama

nbsp; His theory interested many but he could not convince them through demonstrable proof.... The essay “machiavelli's Advice to Obama” is the hypothetical assumption on the Machiavelli, Galileo, and Aristotle's advice to a guarantor of the US constitution.... nbsp; Some of the most popular philosophers in politics include Machiavelli (known as a pattern of ruthless or amoral leadership through subterfuge and the strict maintenance of public image), Galileo (who was persecuted for his scientific discoveries and exposures of the past's frauds), and aristotle, who set up intensely intricate categories for reason as well as ethics....
15 Pages (3750 words) Essay

The Social Contract

Plato saw the need for the unity of the state and studied models of society whose measure conceives the nature of justice and the ideal paths to achieving it, thus paving the way to the construction of the 'The Republic' in which he argued that justice is absolute and the rule of wisdom through a philosopher-king should prevail.... n a form or another, Plato and aristotle first utilized the idea of social contract the time when Greece was experiencing wars....
7 Pages (1750 words) Term Paper

Growing Thoughts and the Growing Politics

homas Hobbes in his book 'Leviathan' advocates for a contract theory of the Government where he examines human nature whereby he believes: men just like animals are driven by impulse save for human speech and reason.... These and many more lead to his formation of the social contract theory where Man governs himself via a majority consensus.... Locke also echoed Hobbes's idea of a social contract theory.... The essay "Growing Thoughts and the Growing Politics" focuses on a critical analysis of the works of modern philosophers like Niccolo Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke compared to the works of ancient philosophers like Plato and aristotle and their views on politics....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us