ABSTRACT Justice, Prudence, and Foreign Relations in Aristotle's
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ABSTRACT Justice, Prudence, and Foreign Relations in Aristotle’s Political Thought Stephen Patrick Sims, Ph.D. Mentors: Mary P. Nichols, Ph.D. and David Clinton, Ph.D. This dissertation examines how the political thought of Aristotle addresses foreign relations and the nature of international politics. I argue that for Aristotle the practice of justice and prudence occurs only in relation to the common good of particular and separate political communities. Thus, the possibility of human happiness, understood to be the life of virtue, depends on the existence of separate and free political communities. Aristotle nevertheless understands natural justice and natural friendship as a sign of a fundamental human community, which helps explain his concern for just foreign relations. Thus, although human happiness depends on participation in a self-sufficient political community, it does not prescind from human relationships that cross the boundaries of political communities. I conclude by showing how Aristotle’s political thought combines strengths of contemporary theories, such as realism, liberalism, or cosmopolitanism, while at the same time avoiding their weaknesses. Justice, Prudence, and Foreign Relations in Aristotle's Political Thought by Stephen Patrick Sims, B.A., M.A. A Dissertation Approved by the Department of Political Science W. David Clinton, Ph.D., Chairperson Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Baylor University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Approved by the Dissertation Committee W. David Clinton, Ph.D., Co-Chairperson Mary P. Nichols, Ph.D., Co-Chairperson David K. Nichols, Ph.D. Timothy W. Burns, Ph.D. Michael D. Beaty, Ph.D. Accepted by the Graduate School August 2015 J. Larry Lyon, Ph.D., Dean Page bearing signatures is kept on file in the Graduate School. Copyright © 2015 by Stephen Patrick Sims All rights reserved CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................... vi DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................. vii CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Aristotelian Political Theory and International Politics ........................................................ 6 The Structure of the Dissertation ........................................................................................... 16 An Aristotelian Approach to Contemporary International Politics .................................. 27 CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................................. 30 Justice, Prudence, and the Common Good ............................................................................... 30 Justice .......................................................................................................................................... 31 Prudence ..................................................................................................................................... 41 The Common Good ................................................................................................................. 47 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 54 CHAPTER THREE .......................................................................................................................... 55 Friendship and the Common Good ........................................................................................... 55 Friendship and Politics ............................................................................................................. 56 Friendship and the Common Good ....................................................................................... 64 Friendship and the Just ............................................................................................................ 70 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 78 CHAPTER FOUR............................................................................................................................. 80 Politics and War ............................................................................................................................. 80 Aristotle on War, Peace, and the Regime .............................................................................. 82 Aristotle’s Engagement with Socratic and Non-Socratic Political Theory ....................... 84 The Critique of Crete and Sparta ............................................................................................ 93 The Athenian Empire ............................................................................................................... 97 The Ramifications for Polities ............................................................................................... 102 Tyranny, Kingship, and Foreign Relations .......................................................................... 111 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 123 CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................................................................ 127 The Best Way of Life as a Foundation for Foreign Relations .............................................. 127 The Best Way of Life .............................................................................................................. 130 The Best Way of Life for the Political Community as a Whole ....................................... 133 iv The Best Way of Life and Politics: Against Despotism .................................................... 137 Politics and the Best Way of Life: Understanding the “Political” ................................... 145 Ramifications of the Best Way of Life ................................................................................. 149 CHAPTER SIX ................................................................................................................................ 151 The City According to Prayer and Foreign Relations ............................................................ 151 The Equipment of the Best Regime ..................................................................................... 152 Geographic Considerations ................................................................................................... 156 The People We Would Pray for ............................................................................................ 160 The Parts of the Political Community ................................................................................. 165 Necessity and Nobility in the Regime According to Prayer ............................................. 170 The Return of the Best Way of Life: The City among Cities ........................................... 173 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 182 CHAPTER SEVEN ........................................................................................................................ 185 Natural Justice, Natural Slavery, War, and Limits of Political Action ................................. 185 Natural Justice ......................................................................................................................... 189 Natural Slavery, Justice, and Rule ......................................................................................... 198 Another Interpretation of Aristotle ...................................................................................... 211 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 216 CHAPTER EIGHT ........................................................................................................................ 217 Political Rule Among Nations ................................................................................................... 217 Rule and Political Rule ........................................................................................................... 220 Political Rule and Foreign Relations .................................................................................... 231 The International Whole ........................................................................................................ 239 The Limits of the International Whole and Political Rule among Nations.................... 249 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 254 CHAPTER NINE ........................................................................................................................... 256 Political Philosophy and the Problems of International Order ............................................ 256 Machiavelli ..............................................................................................................................