Plato and Aristotle on the Issue of Men and Women
This essay will show that, although Plato and Aristotle agree on a few minor points, Plato tends to be more “woman friendly” than Aristotle, and because of this, I will later assert that Plato’s view of men and women appears to be more accurate than Aristotle’s.
To begin, I will start with the differences between Plato’s and Aristotle’s view of men and women. In Plato’s Republic, Socrates creates an ideal society where men and women are considered equals (to a degree). Socrates argues, “All things, he said, should be done in common, except that the women are physically weaker and the men stronger.” (Plato 451 e). This means that men and women may partake in almost any job regardless of their sex. The only jobs, or duties, that Socrates excludes are those heavier duties of “guardianship.” Aristotle, on the other hand, believes that women are deformities of human kind. He says, “The reason is that the female is as it were a deformed male . . .” (Aristotle 63). Thus, for Aristotle, women are not considered equals to men in any circumstance; rather, they are males gone wrong, and do not share the same intelligence or abilities as men. So, Plato allows the possibility that some women may be equal to or superior to men, whereas Aristotle sees men strictly superior to women, and does not allow for this possibility.
Secondly, Aristotle believes that one’s reproductive function determines his or her mental and moral capacity, where as Socrates, in Plato’s Republic, sees the reproductive functions as irrelevant to a person’s position in life. Aristotle tends to work within the framework of “hierarchical dualisms” (Prof. Norlock, Jan. 31, 2005). Thus, Aristotle concludes that males and females are opposites of each other, with the male on the positive side, and the female on the negative side of the dualism. He believes male semen has a higher value than female semen, for male semen gives soul and female semen does not; rather, it gives matter (Aristotle 66). Aristotle believes that because males are capable of giving soul, they must also be able to will their soul, for males are the example of human kind. Females have souls too, but cannot deliberately will their soul (Aristotle 66). Plato, on the other hand, would not agree with this distinction because he has observed empirically that women and men, although they do possess different reproductive functions, have the ability to participate in similar activities or duties. Socrates says, “But if they seem to differ in this particular only, that the female bears children while the male begets them, we shall say that there has been no kind of proof that a woman is different from a man as regards the duties we are talking about . . .” (Plato 454 d). Thus, Aristotle believes reproductive function determines one’s position in life, and Socrates believes that this distinction is irrelevant.
Although Plato and Aristotle have different views on the issue of men and women, both would agree that men are generally better at performing duties than women, and both would agree that women should have some form of education; however, the two authors do vary in degree of the statements mentioned. In the Republic, Socrates says, “What you say is true, he said, namely that one sex [the male sex] is much superior to the other in almost everything, yet many women are better than many men in many things, but on the whole it is as you say.” (Plato 455 c) Socrates is saying that women can do many of things men can, but in general males tend to be better at performing a majority of the duties required of a city. Aristotle outlines the tasks which men and women are supposed to perform, with the male being better at the majority of tasks. He says, “For that which has the capacity, in virtue of its intelligence, of looking forward is by nature the ruling and master element [the male], while that which has the capacity, in virtue of its body, of carrying out this will of the superior is the subject and slave by nature [the female].” (Aristotle 66) So, men are the active ones who have the intelligence to rule over and effect the world around them, whereas the females are designed to obey.
Aristotle and Plato also agree on education for women. Socrates, in the Republic says, “So if we use the women for the same tasks as the men, they must be taught the same things.” (Plato 452 a) Therefore, men and women should be educated in the same way. Aristotle, at the end of his Politics states, “ Since every household is part of a state, . . . it is necessary that we should have our eye on the constitution in educating our children and wives . . . For women are half the free population; and it is from children that grow the members of the constitution.” (Plato 68) Although Plato and Aristotle both agree that women should be educated, Plato extends education for women to all areas previously accessible to men, whereas Aristotle suggests women should not be denied education. Aristotle probably would not grant women the same type of education since he believes women would not be capable of learning the same things as men.
I do not agree completely with either Aristotle’s or Plato’s view of women, but I do think Plato comes closer to a “woman friendly” state, and has, perhaps, influenced western society’s current concept of men and women. Aristotle outright states that woman is the lesser of the two sexes, and calls her deformed, and compares her in opposition to the male. The ideal form for a human is the male. Many of Aristotle’s ideas are based on empirical data that was collected through cadavers, but as we know, science is dependent upon technology. So, as new technologies developed, Aristotle’s ideas on men and women were proven wrong. Plato’s ideas about men and women, however, seem to have influenced today’s western culture. Men and women today work side by side, in and out of the public sphere, as Socrates had suggested. Although Plato’s suggestion to create a “community of wives,” and his suggestion to raise the children away from their parents, seems quite far-fetched, his ideas about men and women have come to life in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
So, it seems that Aristotle and Plato hold rather contrary views, but agree with each other on men’s superiority to women, and for the education of women (although they do vary in the degrees of education allowed, or necessary). But Plato’s view seems to hold strong as western society is shifting from Aristotle’s view of men and women towards Plato’s view of men and women, where men and women work side by side, and are not denied certain opportunities because of their sex.
To begin, I will start with the differences between Plato’s and Aristotle’s view of men and women. In Plato’s Republic, Socrates creates an ideal society where men and women are considered equals (to a degree). Socrates argues, “All things, he said, should be done in common, except that the women are physically weaker and the men stronger.” (Plato 451 e). This means that men and women may partake in almost any job regardless of their sex. The only jobs, or duties, that Socrates excludes are those heavier duties of “guardianship.” Aristotle, on the other hand, believes that women are deformities of human kind. He says, “The reason is that the female is as it were a deformed male . . .” (Aristotle 63). Thus, for Aristotle, women are not considered equals to men in any circumstance; rather, they are males gone wrong, and do not share the same intelligence or abilities as men. So, Plato allows the possibility that some women may be equal to or superior to men, whereas Aristotle sees men strictly superior to women, and does not allow for this possibility.
Secondly, Aristotle believes that one’s reproductive function determines his or her mental and moral capacity, where as Socrates, in Plato’s Republic, sees the reproductive functions as irrelevant to a person’s position in life. Aristotle tends to work within the framework of “hierarchical dualisms” (Prof. Norlock, Jan. 31, 2005). Thus, Aristotle concludes that males and females are opposites of each other, with the male on the positive side, and the female on the negative side of the dualism. He believes male semen has a higher value than female semen, for male semen gives soul and female semen does not; rather, it gives matter (Aristotle 66). Aristotle believes that because males are capable of giving soul, they must also be able to will their soul, for males are the example of human kind. Females have souls too, but cannot deliberately will their soul (Aristotle 66). Plato, on the other hand, would not agree with this distinction because he has observed empirically that women and men, although they do possess different reproductive functions, have the ability to participate in similar activities or duties. Socrates says, “But if they seem to differ in this particular only, that the female bears children while the male begets them, we shall say that there has been no kind of proof that a woman is different from a man as regards the duties we are talking about . . .” (Plato 454 d). Thus, Aristotle believes reproductive function determines one’s position in life, and Socrates believes that this distinction is irrelevant.
Although Plato and Aristotle have different views on the issue of men and women, both would agree that men are generally better at performing duties than women, and both would agree that women should have some form of education; however, the two authors do vary in degree of the statements mentioned. In the Republic, Socrates says, “What you say is true, he said, namely that one sex [the male sex] is much superior to the other in almost everything, yet many women are better than many men in many things, but on the whole it is as you say.” (Plato 455 c) Socrates is saying that women can do many of things men can, but in general males tend to be better at performing a majority of the duties required of a city. Aristotle outlines the tasks which men and women are supposed to perform, with the male being better at the majority of tasks. He says, “For that which has the capacity, in virtue of its intelligence, of looking forward is by nature the ruling and master element [the male], while that which has the capacity, in virtue of its body, of carrying out this will of the superior is the subject and slave by nature [the female].” (Aristotle 66) So, men are the active ones who have the intelligence to rule over and effect the world around them, whereas the females are designed to obey.
Aristotle and Plato also agree on education for women. Socrates, in the Republic says, “So if we use the women for the same tasks as the men, they must be taught the same things.” (Plato 452 a) Therefore, men and women should be educated in the same way. Aristotle, at the end of his Politics states, “ Since every household is part of a state, . . . it is necessary that we should have our eye on the constitution in educating our children and wives . . . For women are half the free population; and it is from children that grow the members of the constitution.” (Plato 68) Although Plato and Aristotle both agree that women should be educated, Plato extends education for women to all areas previously accessible to men, whereas Aristotle suggests women should not be denied education. Aristotle probably would not grant women the same type of education since he believes women would not be capable of learning the same things as men.
I do not agree completely with either Aristotle’s or Plato’s view of women, but I do think Plato comes closer to a “woman friendly” state, and has, perhaps, influenced western society’s current concept of men and women. Aristotle outright states that woman is the lesser of the two sexes, and calls her deformed, and compares her in opposition to the male. The ideal form for a human is the male. Many of Aristotle’s ideas are based on empirical data that was collected through cadavers, but as we know, science is dependent upon technology. So, as new technologies developed, Aristotle’s ideas on men and women were proven wrong. Plato’s ideas about men and women, however, seem to have influenced today’s western culture. Men and women today work side by side, in and out of the public sphere, as Socrates had suggested. Although Plato’s suggestion to create a “community of wives,” and his suggestion to raise the children away from their parents, seems quite far-fetched, his ideas about men and women have come to life in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
So, it seems that Aristotle and Plato hold rather contrary views, but agree with each other on men’s superiority to women, and for the education of women (although they do vary in the degrees of education allowed, or necessary). But Plato’s view seems to hold strong as western society is shifting from Aristotle’s view of men and women towards Plato’s view of men and women, where men and women work side by side, and are not denied certain opportunities because of their sex.
posted by Karen Jarboe at
11:42 PM
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