Why do Philosophers get involved in Politics?

Ever wonder why most philosophers get themselves involved in political matters? Plato made the Republic, Aristotle gave us his Politics, and John Locke introduce us to his Two Treatises of Government. Why did these men who are Philosophers and seekers of Knowledge indulge themselves in government dilemas? Is governing the masses more important than seeking a greater knowledge? Ask these questions to your philosopher teachers and wait for the answer 😉

Political philosophers seek to establish basic principles that will, for instance, justify a particular form of state, show that individuals have certain inalienable rights, or tell us how a society' s material resources should be shared among its members. This usually involves analysing and interpreting ideas like freedom, justice, authority and democracy and then applying them in a critical way to the social and political institutions that currently exist. Some political philosophers have tried primarily to justify the prevailing arrangements of their society, others have painted pictures of an ideal state or an ideal social world that is very different from anything we have so far experienced.

Where does political authority come from? What makes a government legitimate or illegitimate? What does economic justice means and to what degree is a society justified in creating it? What is the value of tolerance in a community and just how far can a requirement for tolerance be taken? If people have rights, what are they and are rights something that exist for individuals or groups? All of these are important questions.
Political philosophy involves the principles for proper governance and concerns the nature and forms of power.

Would indeed be a nice question WD.

I think certainly in the old days (Plato and Aristotle) a lot of the politicians were either philosophers or soldiers, maybe on a rare occasion both.

I think almost every philosopher has wandered into politics at some point in his thinking. Politics envolves a whole lot and in my opinion it is one of the weirdest cultural phenomena of the human race.

Why do some people strive to gain political power, even if it doesn't is real power (like a lot of politicians today)?

Why do humans build these complex structures and ideas on how to live and how to govern themselves.

I think those, certainly the last, are questions that philosophers try to answer when they get into politics.

Let me think...... mmmm... because politics is philosophy !?

well they are not exactly the same, but the two are entwined, altho I'd say more in the past than in the present.

Maybe because they want to help with the understanding that
"Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is."

Now there's a statement I disagree with

What is man except for man? and then the more important question, What makes man man?

Originally posted by Atlantis001
Let me think...... mmmm... because politics is philosophy !?

We could throw in Psychology...but that will be too broad. Anyways, the point is why do philosophers feel the need to intervene in political matters? Sure, I can see is their desire to understand human behavior. And how that behavior is shaped by leadership. I think that philosophers engage more into the issue of Authority of a human over another human. And that in order to have a society there must be a social contract that keeps us from harming each other. Are we really savages without laws and government to control us?

Well to answer the question, why philosophers get involved in politics, I would have to say because politics govern men. It is in political settings that the leaders of Rome, England, or the US determine what law to dictate unto their people. Philosophers, who try and reason out the meaning of important matters and how or why to live a certain way, can get into politics and convince people of their cetain thoughts or actions. They can debate their reasoning amongst those who make laws and govern.

So, in essence, by seeking a greater knowledge, a philosopher would want to convey that knowledge to the masses. I think the two would go hand in hand. And as some pointed out, you can do both. You can govern the masses and search for higher knowledge. In fact, I hope that is what ALL governing bodies are doing. Unfotunately, I am not so sure... sadwalk

Philosophers try to justify the authority that comes from the government, why they are legitimate. I think, the only thing that justify its authority is the fact that no one ever think too much about this question(What justifies government authority?). Ever asked why is government right, and what we think is not when it comes against the government rules ? My point is that no matter how much we try to give some "greater purpose" to government, justifying its authority by saying that its does the right thing to do. The only thing that keep it "justified" is its power. Just like "if you don´t agree... then you are a criminal, and I arrest you." If a government loses its power, it will exist no more, if something else was the reason for why it must exist, then that government should remain even without power, but no one wants to follow the rules when we are not arrested or issued for it.

Will that make us savages that are forced to behave like civilized people ? I think not necessarily, that depends on our individual sense of honor, and justice. For me there are things in government that are more savage, and primitive than my own sense of honor, you know... if there were no rules anymore I would not become a beast. Most people would become beasts if there were no rules, and let themselves be guided by their primal instincts showing that honor, and all other virtues from before... were but just mere illusions. There are nice movies like Cold Mountain, and War of the Worlds that shows that primal behavior that take over people, when situations like wars occur. Especially the car scene in War of the worlds 🙂

Originally posted by Fire
Now there's a statement I disagree with

Well I didn't study philosophy, but don't philosophers feel that man should know themselves throughly...and maybe they think they'll go into politics because they know all these "Supposed Truths?"...Because they are the enlightened to it........Or maybe it's just because philosophers just like to sit around and argue...then end it with "It's only subjective."

"What makes man..man?"...Hmmmmmmm our intellect....but then I hear dolphins are pretty intelligent too....maybe even more civilized...

Maybe that should be a new thread topic...

Yeah.. like "Are dophins more civilized than humans ?" 🙂

Idealists get nowhere in politics.

Originally posted by Atlantis001
Yeah.. like "Are dophins more civilized than humans ?" 🙂

Go ahead start a new one....you're last idea was good.. 😄

Originally posted by Carnage_MUtants
Well to answer the question, why philosophers get involved in politics, I would have to say because politics govern men. It is in political settings that the leaders of Rome, England, or the US determine what law to dictate unto their people. Philosophers, who try and reason out the meaning of important matters and how or why to live a certain way, can get into politics and convince people of their cetain thoughts or actions. They can debate their reasoning amongst those who make laws and govern.

That I can agree with. Both the State and the Citizen need each other. Is a balance that all citizens must agree with. To live in a productive state is the benefit of all members of government and civilians. And in certain cases....foreigners.

I agree the two can be one in the same. But there is a difference between a philosopher AND philosophy.

All successful politicians have compromised on their philosophy.

Well Philosophy is a big field...Politics is one of the parts that Philosophers are concerned with.....I think the Philosophy you are thinking of is nowadays called MetaPhysics....and it indeed is the core of Modern Philosophy, but not everything....

I believe philosophers are the ones who truly understand the Politcs and nature of them. Thats why most of them were never politicians 😉