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Aristotle argues that everything has a purpose or 'telos'. Including humans.

 

The purpose of a flute is to produce music. The best flute is the one that, when played effectively, produces the best music. The purpose of a flute maker is to produce good flutes, and the best flute should go to the best flute player.

 

More generally, the purpose of a human is to flourish, to achieve a full flowering of his/her potentialities. Chief among these potentialities is virtue, Virtue is nor mere knowledge, it is a skill developed through practice.

 

For Aristotle the purpose of the state or 'polis' is to produce good (virtuous) citizens by facilitating the practice of virtue.

 

Which raises the question: what, for Aristotle or for us, constitutes virtue?

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Video: Michael Sandel, 'Justice' Episode 10: The Good Citizen (55m)

 

Video: Joseph Muldoon: Aristotle - Politics (19m)

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