“政治动物”与“似神之人”——亚里士多德政治哲学的起点与终点

“Political Animal”and“God-like Man”——The Starting Point and Ending Point of Aristotle’s Political Philosophy

亚里士多德关于“人自然是政治动物”的命题,首先是生物学含义,其次是政治学含义。从生物学看,政治动物与非政治动物的区分是类型上的;从政治学看,人与其他政治动物的区分是程度上的。但不论类型还是程度,都是以人的动物性为基础进行的区分。把人与动物从本质上彻底区分开的,是人的神圣性。也就是说,“政治动物”只是亚里士多德政治哲学的起点,“似神之人”才是亚里士多德政治哲学的终点。而教育,尤其是哲学教育,则是从政治动物到似神之人的实现途径。

Aristotle’s proposition that man is by nature a political animal has,first of all,a biological meaning,followed by a political meaning.From the perspective of biology,the distinction between political animals and non-political animals is according to type.From the perspective of politics,the distinction between man and other political animals is a matter of degree.However,regardless of the type or degree,it is based on the animality of mankind.It is the divinity of man that distinguishes men from animals in essence.In other words,“political animal”is only the starting point of Aristotle’s political philosophy,and“god-like man”is the ending point of Aristotle’s political philosophy.And education,especially philosophical education,is the approach of realization from political animal to god-like man.