man is by nature a social animal essay

Essay on Man Is a Social Animal

Students are often asked to write an essay on Man Is a Social Animal in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Man Is a Social Animal

The concept of man as a social animal.

Man is a social animal by nature. This means that human beings like to live in groups and communities. It is our inherent ability to understand and connect with others that makes us social.

Importance of Social Interactions

Social interactions are essential for our survival and mental health. They help us learn, grow, and develop as individuals. Without interaction, we could feel lonely and isolated.

Learning from Society

Living in a society, we learn various skills and values. We learn to communicate, cooperate, and contribute, making us better individuals.

In conclusion, being social is an integral part of being human. It shapes our identity and helps us thrive.

250 Words Essay on Man Is a Social Animal

The innate sociality of man, evolution and sociality.

The evolutionary perspective provides a compelling argument for our social nature. Early humans, for survival, formed groups to hunt, gather, and protect each other. This mutual cooperation and communication led to the development of complex languages, cultures, and social structures. The evolutionary advantage of this sociality is evident in the advanced civilizations we have built.

Socialization and Identity

The process of socialization further affirms our social nature. From infancy, we are taught societal norms and values, shaping our behavior and identity. Through social interaction, we learn to understand and navigate the world around us. This continuous interaction shapes our cognitive development, emotional growth, and overall personality.

The Role of Society

Society plays a pivotal role in fulfilling our basic needs, from physical necessities to psychological desires. The need for love, belonging, and esteem, as outlined in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, is satisfied through our relationships and social roles. Society also provides us with a platform to express our thoughts, ideas, and creativity, contributing to our self-actualization.

In conclusion, the social nature of humans is an integral part of our existence. It is through societal living that we grow, evolve, and realize our potential. As social animals, we are not merely surviving; we are thriving, progressing, and continually shaping the world around us.

500 Words Essay on Man Is a Social Animal

Introduction.

Man, by nature, is a social animal. Humans have always been characterized by the urge to communicate, to establish relationships, and to express complex emotions and thoughts, which has led to the development of diverse cultures, languages, and societal structures. The concept of man as a social animal is deeply embedded in our existence and has profound implications on our understanding of human nature.

The Evolutionary Perspective

The psychological perspective.

From a psychological perspective, the social nature of humans can be observed in our cognitive and emotional development. The renowned psychologist Lev Vygotsky argued that social interaction plays a fundamental role in the process of cognitive development. In contrast to Jean Piaget’s understanding of child development (in which development necessarily precedes learning), Vygotsky felt social learning precedes development.

The Sociocultural Perspective

The sociocultural perspective further emphasizes the social nature of humans. Culture, a unique product of human social interaction, shapes our behavior, values, and beliefs. It provides us with a framework to understand the world, and it influences our perceptions and actions in profound ways. The existence of diverse cultures across the world is a testament to the social nature of humans and our ability to adapt to different social environments.

The Social Animal in the Modern World

The notion of man as a social animal underscores the importance of social interactions in our lives. It is through our interactions with others that we learn, grow, and develop as individuals. Our social nature shapes our perceptions, guides our behaviors, and influences our mental and emotional well-being. Understanding this fundamental aspect of human nature can help us build more compassionate societies, promote social cohesion, and address the challenges of an increasingly interconnected world.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your Article Library

Brief essay on man as a social animal (1097 words).

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Here is your essay on Man as a Social Animal!

Long ago, Aristotle expressed that ‘Man is essentially a social animal by nature’. He cannot live without society, if he does so; he is either beast or God. Man realises his goals, his existence in the society: he finds various ingredients in society through which he can attain the perfectness of the life. The day, he is born to the day he leaves this planet he is in the society.

Image Courtesy : totallycoolpix.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/20130902_burning_man_2013/burning_man_2013_013.jpg

Man like ‘Robinson Crusoe’ can never develop his personality, language, culture and ‘inner deep’ by living outside the society. The statement that a man is a social animal implies that man cannot live without society. Society is indispensable for him. He needs society as matter of nature, necessity and for his well being. All these three implications are explained as follows:

1. Man is a social animal by nature. Man’s nature is such that he cannot afford to live alone. No human being is known to have normally developed in isolation. Maclver has cited three cases in which infants were isolated from all social relationships to make experiments about man’s social nature. The first case is of Kaspar Hauser who from his childhood until his seventeenth year was brought up in the woods of Nuremberg.

In his case it was found that at the age of seventeen he could hardly walk, had the mind of an infant and could mutter only a few meaningless phrases. In spite of his subsequent education he could never make himself a normal man.

The second case was of two Hindu children who in 1929 were discovered in a wolf den. One of the children died soon after discovery. The other child could walk only on all four, possessed no language except wolf like growls. She was shy of human being and afraid of them. It was only after careful and sympathetic training that she could learn some social habits.

The third case was of Anna, an illegitimate American child who had been placed in a room at the age of six months and discovered five years later. On discovery it was found that she could not walk or speak and was indifferent to people around her.

These cases prove that human being is social by nature. Human nature develops in man only when he lives in society, only when he shares with his fellow beings a common life. The accounts of the noble savage free from all social restraints living in woods and appeasing his appetite with the fruits are idyllic tales devoid of all historical value. Even the sadhus who have retired from worldly life live in the company of their fellows in the forest.

All this tends to show that society is something which fulfills a vital need in man’s constitution, it is not something accidentally added to or super imposed on human nature. His very existence is wielded into the fabrics of society. He knows himself and his fellow beings within the framework of society. Indeed, man is social by nature.

2. Man lives in society because necessity compels him so. Many of his needs will remain unsatisfied if he does not have the cooperation of his fellow beings. Every individual is the off- spring of a social relationship established between man and woman. The child is brought up under the care of his parents and learns the lessons of citizenship in their company.

If the newborn’ baby does not receive protection and attention by the society, he would not survive even a day. We get our needs of food, shelter arid clothing fulfilled only by living and cooperating with others. The stories of cases cited above prove that people reared among animals away from human beings remained animals in habits. The importance of society for physical and mental development is thus obvious. No one can become a human being unless he lives with human beings.

Fear of wild animal makes some seek cooperation of other; the satisfaction of food hunger, rest-hunger etc. through exchange or barter may bring some into relation; joint action and division of labour may be found necessary for the achievement of some common end which the individual alone may not be able to secure. The need for self-preservation, which is felt by every being makes a man social. Therefore, it is not due to his nature alone but also due to his necessities that man lives in society.

3. Man lives in society for his mental and intellectual development. Society preserves our culture and transmits it to succeeding generations. It both liberates and limits our- potentialities as individuals and moulds our attitudes, our beliefs, our morals and ideals.

The mind of a man without society, as feral cases show, remains the mind of an infant even at the age of adulthood. The cultural heritage directs our personality. Thus society fulfills not only our physical needs but also determines our mental equipment.

It therefore stands established beyond any doubt that man is a social animal. Man requires society as a sine qua non condition for his life as a human being. It is not one or a few particular needs or tendencies of man that compel him to live in society but without it his personality cannot come into being.

On the basis of the above discussion it may be concluded that individuals and society are interdependent. The relationship between them is not one-sided; both are essential for the comprehension of other. Neither the individuals belong to society as cells belong to the organism, not the society a mere contrivance to satisfy certain human needs. Neither the society itself has a value beyond the service which it renders to its members, not the individuals can thrive without society.

Neither the society is inimical to the development of individuality, nor it exists in its own right. In fact, both are complementary and supplementary to each other. Cooley writes: “A separate individual is an obstruction unknown to experience and individuals. Society and individuals do not denote separate phenomena but are simply collective and distributive aspects of the same thing.”

Explaining the relationship between individual and society Marcher observes: “Society with all the traditions, the institutions, the equipment it provides a great changeful order of social life, arising from the psychological as well as the physical needs of the individual, an order wherein human beings are born and fulfill themselves with whatever limitations and wherein they transmit to coming generations the requirement of living. We must reject any view of this pattern that sees the relationship between individual and society from merely one or the other side”.

Related Articles:

• Social Groups: Meaning and Characteristics of Social Groups (1215 Words)
• Society: Essay on the Meaning and Definition of Society (661 Words)

No comments yet.

Leave a reply click here to cancel reply..

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Aristotle: 'Man is by nature a political animal.'

Man is by nature a political animal.

Aristotle's quote "Man is by nature a political animal" is a profound reflection on human nature and the inherent sociable and communal tendencies that define us as a species. Essentially, Aristotle is asserting that humans are naturally inclined towards living in communities, forming social structures, and engaging in political life. This quote underscores the importance of politics and the role it plays in shaping human interactions and facilitating the organization of society.At its core, the quote highlights the interconnectedness of individuals within a society and the inherent need for human beings to engage in collective decision-making processes. It emphasizes how our social and political engagements are not just superficial constructs but rather fundamental aspects of our identity and nature. By recognizing the political dimension of human existence, Aristotle invites us to reflect on the ways in which our interactions with others shape our sense of self and our place within the broader community.However, to delve deeper into the complexities of human nature and the concept of political animality, it is intriguing to introduce the philosophical concept of existentialism. Existentialism challenges traditional views on human nature and politics by emphasizing individual freedom, responsibility, and the struggle to find meaning in a seemingly indifferent universe. While Aristotle emphasizes the communal aspects of human existence, existentialism delves into the subjective experience of the individual and the quest for authenticity in a world filled with uncertainties.The contrast between Aristotle's idea of humans as political animals and existentialist views on individual autonomy and authenticity presents a thought-provoking juxtaposition. On one hand, Aristotle's assertion resonates with our natural inclination towards social relationships and communal living. On the other hand, existentialism prompts us to question the limits of societal structures and political systems in defining who we are as individuals.In exploring these contrasting perspectives, we come to appreciate the complexity of human nature and the multifaceted ways in which we navigate our social and political identities. While Aristotle highlights the importance of our communal ties and political engagements, existentialism challenges us to question the authenticity of our roles within these systems and invites us to reflect on the freedom we have in shaping our own destinies.Ultimately, the quote by Aristotle serves as a starting point for a deeper philosophical inquiry into the nature of human existence and the complexities of political life. By juxtaposing this classical perspective with the existentialist critique, we gain a more nuanced understanding of the dynamics of human nature and the intricate interplay between individual autonomy and collective belonging in shaping our identities and societies.

Warren Buffett: 'Our favorite holding period is forever.'

Henry david thoreau: 'do not be too moral. you may cheat yourself out of much life so. aim above morality. be not simply good be good for something.'.

Man is by Nature a Political Animal Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Man is by nature a political animal

Does Aristotle succeed in showing that the state is natural and that man is by nature a political animal? To comprehensively answer this question, it would be useful to acquire a concise over view of the subject in question.

Aristotle is described as the archetypal and quintessential theorist who played an integral role in the golden age of Greek philosophy. Aristotle was a philosopher, logistician, theorist and thinker. This description is incomplete as it paints the picture of an intellectual giant without regard to the human facet of his character. It is intimated that, in addition to being a philosopher of note, Aristotle was also an affectionate husband, a loving father to two children and a good friend to a great many people. (Anagnostopoulos, 2009)

It is logical to postulate that Aristotle’s treatises and dissertations were influenced to a certain extent by his early life and upbringing. Remarkably, despite his many achievements, there is no comprehensive biography that has been written about the life of Aristotle. However, according to Anagnostopoulos (2009), Aristotle was born in 384 BCE in a Greek village called Stagira.

He was the last of three children born to a father who was a physician and a mother who was said to be of aristocratic descent. Aristotle grew up in Pella where his father had been appointed to serve as the king’s doctor. This upbringing may have influenced his view point, in his later writings; the philosopher would regularly express his dislike for kings and courts.

In the past, medicine was a profession that was handed down from father to son. Consequently, this fact is what equipped Aristotle with a scientific orientation. At the age of seventeen, Aristotle chose to leave Pella for Athens in an attempt to broaden the scope of his education. In Athens, the philosopher studied under the master, Plato. Their relationship was said to have been turbulent and marked with several disagreements. However, Aristotle learnt a lot from him and stayed in Athens with Plato until his death. (Sorabji, 1990)

In the years following the death of Plato, Aristotle quickly gained the reputation of being a leading thinker, philosopher and intellectual in the city of Athens.

This reputation prompted the philosopher to be appointed as the tutor for Alexander, a Macedonian prince. This prince grew up to become Alexander the great. In later years, after Alexander had become king, he embarked on the conquest of other areas in the region. Aristotle was opposed to this move and in reaction to this, he returned to Athens where he founded the Lyceum, a pioneer school of philosophy.

The theories that were advanced by Aristotle fundamentally changed virtually all disciplines that he dealt with. Estimates indicate that, Aristotle may have written in excess of 200 dissertations, unfortunately, of this number, only about 31 have survived to the present day.

According to Anton and Preus (1992), these dissertations, were not intended for public circulation as they are in the form of initial drafts for manuscripts and lecture notes. For this reason, the materials are not the best demonstration of the Aristotle refined prose style which was a hallmark of his writings. This refined prose style is the reason that has been cited as main attraction of many of Aristotle’s followers, the ranks of which included the Roman statesman, Cicero.

Aristotle is associated with many notable achievements. Among these is the fact that the philosopher was the first to catalog knowledge into a number of separate disciplines, for instance, botany, biology and metaphysics, a system that is still in use today. The philosopher has also been recognized through the ages as the undisputed pioneer in the study and application of the system of logic.

This school of thought contends that, it is possible to ascertain the validity of any given position or argument by examining its structure as opposed to its content. This logic, known as deductive reasoning, holds the view that, on condition that the premises of a particular argument are true, it follows that, the conclusion that is drawn, is bound to be true as well.

This type of logic was in use for thousands of years, until the advancement of other forms of logic, such as predicate and propositional logic. (Copleston, 2003) Aristotle was also credited with making significant contributions to the disciplines of metaphysics, mathematics, biology, ethics, medicine, biology and politics. It is a little known fact that Aristotle also made noteworthy contributions to the disciplines of poetry, theater and dance. (Ackrill, 1997)

Thousands of years later, Aristotle’s dissertations are still highly relevant to the modern world. Aristotle has been credited with a number of assertions; one of the most famous is his contention that man is a political animal and that the state is natural. The question is did the philosopher succeed in showing that the state is natural and that man is by nature a political animal?

Aristotle body of work included a discourse about the concept of a state. The word state has its entomological root in the Latin language where is derived from the word; ‘status’, which was used to designate a particular condition or a particular type of status. The concept of the state system of government can be traced back to Ancient Greece. Ancient Greece was not a single state but was a number of small regions that were referred to as city states.

The Greek word for the city state was ‘polis’, this word was the root for the word ‘politics’ that is widely in use in modern times. The ancient Greek city states such as Sparta, Athens and Thebes were the major urban centers and operated independently from the other city states. The concept of a state is also associated with the ancient Romans. The concept of the state in Rome was pioneered by Cicero who was a Roman constitutional framer, philosopher, political theorist, lawyer and statesman.

He was also a notable orator and a formidable essayist (Everitt, 2003) in those times, the phrase, “status reipublicae” was used in reference to the condition or nature of public matters. Gradually, the word ceased to have a relation to certain social groups and began to be used to the legitimate societal order and the mechanisms that were in use to ensure the enforcement of this stipulated order.

The popular adoption of the usage of the word state, as it is used n modern times can be attributed, to a certain extent to the writings of the Italian theorist, Nichollo Machiavelli. In his groundbreaking book, the prince, Machiavelli the usage of the word in several instances ensured its relatively widespread adoption.

The definition of what can be termed to be a state is a matter of endless controversy. At the moment, there is no consensus or agreement about what exactly constitute definition of the term.

Despite this, we can establish that the term describes a particular set of intertwined theories that are advanced to describe certain phenomena of a political nature. The lack of consensus in the question of definition is a result of the fact that varying definitions translate to varying theories about the functions of the state and consequently seem to authorize and certify varying political strategies.

However, of all the definitions that are currently in use, the most widely accepted is the definition that was proposed by the prominent sociologist, Max Weber. According to Weber, the term state is used in reference to a compulsory political association that is characterized by a centralized government that upholds control over the legal use of force in a given region (Oppenheimer, 1999).

There are many different types of states. The first of these is sovereign states. Sovereign states are states that exclusively uphold control over the legal use of force without being dependent on another state. In contrast, there are states that are dependent on other states. Other states have joined together with other states to form a federated union. In these states, the constitutional powers have been relegated to a federal authority (Ibid).

It is common practice for most people to use the terms state, nation and government interchangeably. This is a fundamentally flawed mindset. The government is distinguished by the fact that it is a specific group of people who are tasked with the responsibility of administration over a given geographical location. A government is also a term that is used in reference to the modes that a state power uses to achieve set out goals.

In essence, a government is a number of people who make decisions on behalf of members of the public. Governments are also charged with the responsibility of making laws and legislature for the public. Furthermore, the government has the exclusive right to arbitrate in cases of conflicts between members of the public. States are also a separate concept from nations which is a term that is used to describe a big geographical locality and the people who inhabit the region and consider that they share a distinct and separate identity.

This comprehensive definition of what the conceptualization of a state is mainly refers to the state as it exists in modern times. However, Aristotle’s dissertations on the state were written hundreds of years ago. Scholars propose that the philosopher’s early life and training must have had a significant effect on the way he perceived issues.

For instance, Aristotle had the benefit of traveling widely in areas such as Crete and the Island of Lesbos. (Booth, 1981) These extensive travels offered the philosopher the benefit of wide experiences that probably inspired in him his pro-democracy leanings and his in the monarchial system of government.

Aristotle writes a comprehensive discourse about the question of politics and in addition, he theorizes about the condition of the state. (Barnes et al, 1981) to the philosopher, a state can be conceptualized in terms of four diverse causes. The most important of these is the fact that the state exists as a community which is described as a society that is made up of a number of different parts each of which have a specific functions and which work together for the achievement of a certain goal.

Furthermore, according to Aristotle, the state is made up of citizens, in conjunction with natural resources. The philosopher also underscores the essential necessity of a constitution and a ruler in a state. Aristotle contends that a state is like every other community exists for the purposes of benefit or good for the society.

These illustrations serve to comprehensively address the question, “does Aristotle succeed in showing that the state is natural?” The answer to this conundrum is a resounding yes! Aristotle on his treatise on political theory express his in depth insight into the workings of the state mechanisms, indeed, the philosopher asserts that a state is a natural production. (Bookman, 1992) The philosopher’s view is still applicable to the current political dispensation despite the fact that the view was advanced centuries ago.

This particular quote of Aristotle has been often quoted throughout history. This implies that the meaning of the phrase is transparently clear, however, this is not the case. The phrase though simple at face value is associated with a number of ambiguities that are yet to be resolved.

The phrase was originally advanced by the philosopher in a book that was one of the earliest zoological texts. In the book, Aristotle sets out a broad categories and distinctions between different animals based on their characteristics. He proposes that there animal that are gregarious and those that are solitary. In addition, he proposes that there are animals that are scattered and those that are political.

In the book, Aristotle concluded that the good life for human beings consisted in part, of philosophical contemplation that can be undertaken independent of other human beings. It also consisted of the application of social values which can only find expression in the company of other people. Drawing on this, Aristotle classifies human beings as gregarious and political, and thus the statement, man is a political animal.

Aristotle’s assertion that man is a political animal is an expression that man is a political being. This assertion is used in reference to the fact that human beings unlike any others, are best suited for pursuing a life in politics. This implies that the human psyche and mental capacity, more than any other is crafted for the purposes of political expression. A typical illustration of this is the fact that human beings have the innate capacity for the essential function of reasoned speech.

Moreover, Aristotle asserted that the human being is a political being because human beings are born with a desire to congregate together and effect changes in their lives and those of others, a desire that can only find expression in the practice of politics. In conclusion, Aristotle’s assertion that man is a political animal served to highlight the fact that, naturally, unlike any other, human beings are well suited to the practice of politics.

These illustrations conclusively affirm that Aristotle convincingly succeeds in showing us that man is a political animal. This assertion still holds true despite the fact that the philosopher advanced the view centuries ago.

The answer to the question, “does Aristotle succeed in showing that the state is natural and that man is by nature a political animal?” is a categorical yes! The illustrations given serve to assert the fact the philosopher’s views remain relevant and timely regardless of the fact that Aristotle made the contentions centuries in the past.

Ackrill, J. L. (1997) Essays on Plato and Aristotle. New York: Oxford University Press Inc.

Anagnostopoulos, G. (2009) A companion to Aristotle. UK: Blackwell Publishing Inc.

Anton, J. P & Preus, A. (1992) Essays in Ancient Greek Philosophy V: Aristotle’s Ontology Albany: State University of New York Press.

Barnes, J, Malcolm, S and Richard, S. Articles on Aristotle, Vol. 2: Ethics and Politics .London: Duckworth.

Bookman, J. T. (1992) The Wisdom of the Many : An Analysis of the Arguments of Books III and IV of Aristotle’s Politics, History of Political Though t, XIII.

Booth, W. J. (1981) Politics and the Household: A Commentary on Aristotle’s Politics, Book I,” History of Political Thought, II. 2. NY. Macmillan.

Copleston, F. C. (2003) A history of philosophy, Volume 1. NY: Continuum books Inc.

Everitt, A. (2003) Cicero: the life and times of Rome’s greatest politician. nd. Random House.

Oppenheimer, F. (1999) The state: its history and development viewed sociologically. NJ: Transaction Publishing Inc.

Sorabji, R. (1990) Aristotle transformed: the ancient commentators and their influence Cornell. nd. University Press.

• Aristotle, His Life and Philosophical Ideas
• The school of Athens
• Ancient Civilization of Rome and Athens
• Social Conflict in the Work of Marx and Weber
• Freedom of Women to Choose Abortion
• Karl Marx’s argument
• Republican War of Science
• Summary of the Republican War of Science
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2019, February 20). Man is by Nature a Political Animal. https://ivypanda.com/essays/man-is-by-nature-a-political-animal/

"Man is by Nature a Political Animal." IvyPanda , 20 Feb. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/man-is-by-nature-a-political-animal/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'Man is by Nature a Political Animal'. 20 February.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Man is by Nature a Political Animal." February 20, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/man-is-by-nature-a-political-animal/.

1. IvyPanda . "Man is by Nature a Political Animal." February 20, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/man-is-by-nature-a-political-animal/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Man is by Nature a Political Animal." February 20, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/man-is-by-nature-a-political-animal/.

• Environment
• Information Science
• Social Issues
• Argumentative
• Cause and Effect
• Classification
• Compare and Contrast
• Descriptive
• Exemplification
• Informative
• Controversial
• Exploratory
• What Is an Essay
• Length of an Essay
• Generate Ideas
• Types of Essays
• Structuring an Essay
• Outline For Essay
• Essay Introduction
• Thesis Statement
• Body of an Essay
• Writing a Conclusion
• Essay Writing Tips
• Drafting an Essay
• Revision Process
• Fix a Broken Essay
• Format of an Essay
• Essay Examples
• Essay Checklist
• Essay Writing Service
• Pay for Research Paper
• Write My Research Paper
• Write My Essay
• Custom Essay Writing Service
• Admission Essay Writing Service
• Pay for Essay
• Academic Ghostwriting
• Write My Book Report
• Case Study Writing Service
• Dissertation Writing Service
• Coursework Writing Service
• Lab Report Writing Service
• Do My Assignment
• Buy College Papers
• Capstone Project Writing Service
• Buy Research Paper
• Custom Essays for Sale

Can’t find a perfect paper?

• Free Essay Samples

Aristotle's View on Man as a Political Animal

Updated 13 November 2023

Subject Biology ,  Zoology

Downloads 60

Category Science

Topic Animals

“Man is by nature a political animal” (Aristotle and Reeve 4). In this regard, Aristotle insinuated that it is difficult for a man to live with no political association or in anarchy. There are certain needs for a man which can only be fulfilled by a political association. Therefore, Aristotle suggests that a man is highly dependent on the political association. It is important for a man to participate in political associations. The human life quality is not given shape by the society where the man lives but by nature. Additionally, Aristotle adds that the person who is not dependent must be an angel or a beast. Aristotle has proved his statement that man is a political animal with the help of an abundance of personalities. The definition of the statement is said to be have relations with the other statements of Aristotle that a man is a rational animal. Aristotle used his normal method of empirical observation to conclude that people tend to unite with other human beings to introduce a community. The human being can flourish and become successful only with the help of this association.

Furthermore, it is important to note that this statement does not mean that a man cannot survive on his own without the association or the community. According to Aristotle, human beings are able to cope with solitary life. Aristotle claims, that human beings can exploit their potential, if he or she has to live as a polis. Therefore, he defined people as a zoon politicos.

Nevertheless, Aristotle mentioned that bees and cranes have equal tendencies of introducing their communities. Therefore, ‘a man is a political animal’ is a proclamation that was derived from the statement from other Aristotle's work. Aristotle says that a man is a political animal and there are others that support that politics as a dirty game. Among all the animals, human beings have the potential of being extremely virtuous and good and therefore, connecting with Aristotle's statement, it can be concluded that a man is linked with wickedness and badness. The extent to which a human being is good depends on whether the man lives in a community (polis) or a city. He adds that the cause for it is the nature where the city exists, and also a man as a political animal by nature. Mulan " Richard (346) acclaimed that “from the definition, it is clear that a city-state grows naturally and a man is a political animal by nature and not by fortune cities.”

According to the great philosopher, human beings try so much to improve the way they live by creating a "good" society. The statement means that according to nature, a human being is needed to either live in a city or a community (Polis). Those people who view politics as a dirty game have their own experiences, which have made them have their perception about politics being a dirty game. Making the observation about the politics of Aristotle and other people's perspectives about politics, the discussion intends to fully examine the rationale on Aristotle's view that man is naturally a political animal. There are two questions that are going to be tackled in this discussion. The two issues are connected with the politics as a dirty game, and ‘dirty’ men who participate in politics. The knowledge that Aristotle had in matters concerning the state theory and his experiences enabled him to conclude that a man is a political animal by nature. Politics is a word that is derived from a Greek word ‘polis’ which means a city-state. A city-state is the most desirable social organization form.

Politics is defined by David Easton as the allocation of values which are authoritative (1981). This means that politics entails several processes whereby. The government responds to the pressure that it is getting from society by allocating, rewards, penalties and benefits. Politics always takes place within a polis (community). A society is organized through an exercise of political authority. According to the great philosopher, the interest of all is the rule by many. For instance, it is impossible for a hyena to snatch prey from a lion, and the smaller animals will be always able to give their preys to the bigger animals like buffalo, lion, cheetahs and the others. The cause for it was the number of the perceptions that have been accumulated previously concerning past instincts and experiences. Aristotle's statement that a man is a political animal by nature is fully supported by the fact that just like other animals, human beings have the capability of coming together and develop a political body (Kullman 95).

Aristotle and Reeve (94) stated that “Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual. Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god. ”

In respect to animals such as cows, they can form a group and live together as a herd or herds. Bees can live as a swarm and sheep can form the association and live as a flock, which means that animals have the capability of acting under the control of their leaders (Mulgan " Richard 344). Therefore, the sovereignty of any given group depends on the strength of a head member. The same can be said concerning a state which has the mandate of executing laws that are supposed to be used by human beings. Competing needs, conflicting opinions, opposite interests and different desires exist in the society. Therefore, the human beings need laws that can help them maintain the relationships with other people in the community (Mulgan " Richard 340).

Conversely, human beings highly recognize that in order for them to influence the rules that are given to them by their leaders, they must unite and work together in society. According to Aristotle, human beings can achieve a good life when they work together as citizens in their societies. Aristotle highly condemns capitalism and institution of slavery. It has been caused by other people, customs and laws. Only the social context shows that the full potential of any man is developed. Any political life is very superior to other forms of life because it helps human beings see themselves in true conditions.

To sum up the above mentioned, a man is more developed animal than the other animals. He or she is driven to congregate, and the state formation is a representation of the highest form of development. Human beings are connected with the political bonds that are the reflections of difference between people in the society. Aristotle concluded that, “Hence it is evident that the state is a creation of nature, and that man is by nature a political animal. And he who by nature and not by mere accident is without a state, is either a bad man or above humanity; he is like the Tribe less, lawless, heartless one, whom Homer denounces — the natural outcast is forthwith a lover of war; he may be compared to an isolated piece at draughts” (Aristotle and Reeves 169).

Works Cited

Aristotle, and C. D. Reeve. Politics. Hackett Pub. Co, 2009.

Kullmann, Wolfgang. "Man as a Political Animal in Aristotle." A Companion to Aristotle's Politics. pp. 94-117, 1991.

Mulgan, Richard G. "Aristotle's Doctrine that Man is a Political Animal." Hermes.

pp. 438-445, 1974.

Deadline is approaching?

Wait no more. Let us write you an essay from scratch

Related Essays

Related topics.

Find Out the Cost of Your Paper

Type your email

By clicking “Submit”, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy policy. Sometimes you will receive account related emails.

• Entertainment
• Life & Style

To enjoy additional benefits

CONNECT WITH US

Man as a social animal

Sociology is the science of society with various areas of specialisation. research in this discipline is mostly based on experience or experiments rather than theories..

March 12, 2012 07:47 pm | Updated 07:47 pm IST

There is a popular misunderstanding that research is confined to science and technology. Even students who pursue studies in humanities are often not aware of the rich facilities for research in their chosen discipline. We have several institutions that offer opportunities for research in social sciences.

Aristotle the legendary Greek philosopher said, “Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual.”

Man cannot live alone. He must satisfy certain natural basic needs in order to survive. He has to enter into relationships with his fellowmen for living a life. No man can break the shackles of mutual dependence. This begins perhaps between the embryo and the mother and continues till his last breath. The need of the embryo may be more physical than mental, but the mother's need is the other way round.

“Society friendship and love/Divinely bestow'd upon man,” sang William Cowper, portraying the pangs of solitude of Alexander Selkirk who had been marooned on an uninhabited island for years.

What is sociology?

Sociology is the science of society. John Stuart Mill proposed the word ethology. Herbert Spencer developed his systematic study of society and adopted the word sociology. Auguste Comete (1798-1857), a French positivist thinker, considered the founding father of sociology, defines it as the science of social phenomena “subject to natural and invariable laws, the discovery of which is the object of investigation.” Sociology has been variously defined as the science of social institutions, science of social relationships, science of social phenomena, study of systems of social action and of their inter-relations, and so on.

No matter what definition we accept, sociology uses diverse tools of investigation and systematic analysis focussing on social activities at the micro and macro levels. The techniques employed may be quantitative, qualitative, or both. The ultimate objective of such studies is often the application of principles for ensuring welfare of the people. Stratification of society, race, class, caste, religion, gender, culture, language, conventions, norms, deviance (behaviour that violates social norms), crime and punishment, health, poverty, family structure, and social mobility are some of the concerns of sociology.

There are different areas of specialisation and research in sociology such as social change, social stratification, social movements, inter-ethnic relations, sociology of education, backward classes, caste system, race relations, poverty alleviation, clinical sociology, sociology of communication, sociology of deviance, juvenile delinquency, industrial sociology, social psychology, sociology of law, sociology of health, environmental sociology, military sociology, sociology of migration, spouse abuse, child abuse, disability and society, drug addiction, alcoholism and family life, gender inequalities, law and governance, identity crises, politics and society, international social policy, and demography.

Research in this discipline is mostly based on experience or experiments rather than theories. In other words, the studies are based on empirical data. These may check and confirm the related theories. We may have an informed guess on possible relationships. There has to be extensive gathering of data, backed up by painstaking observation.

There can be elaborate surveys using written questionnaires or a series of verbal interviews. Studies of relevant records or statistics prepared by government departments or reliable private agencies can also be used in certain cases. Experiments followed by statistical analysis of data are necessary to gauge the extent of social changes and to establish correlations. Measures for social corrections can be evolved from the findings of such studies and evaluation. The validity and reliability of the findings will naturally depend on faithful gathering of data. Unlike in physical science research, there may be unethical attempts from vested interests to influence the manipulation of data and to project distorted conclusions. True researchers have to be wary of this pitfall that may discredit their dedicated efforts to arrive at the truth.

Social work

Sociology and social work are different, though there are areas of overlap. They are distinct fields in their own right. We have seen different definitions of sociology. Social work is concerned with alleviation of problems of individuals in society. A sociologist will be interested not only in the plight of a poor man but also in how poverty affects society as a whole. Social work has a focus on helping individuals, groups, or communities. It may also try to bring about a change in policies aimed at the welfare of society.

Social work will involve the applications of various disciplines such as sociology, economics, psychology, education, public health, development, criminology, and so on. A scholar once succinctly put the difference thus: “A sociologist asks, ‘Why are these people poor?,' while the social worker asks, ‘What can I do about this poverty right now?.”

There are government departments as well as philanthropic organisations carrying out social work in our society. These offer career opportunities for those with compassion and commitment. It is a matter of fine job satisfaction to find opportunities for helping the aged, sick, deprived, and helpless, as part of your work.

Related Topics

education / The Hindu Education Plus

Top News Today

• Access 10 free stories every month
• Save stories to read later
• Access to comment on every story
• Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
• Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products

Terms & conditions   |   Institutional Subscriber

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

Man is a Social Animal

Man is a social animal by nature. Man has always preferred to live in groups. ‘Man is a social animal’, said Aristotle years ago, human races proved and realized the importance of his statement by the passage of time. From the primitive period, man lived and moved in groups. Individuals live in groups and cannot separate themselves from being part of a group. This made him feel secure and helped him guard himself against the wild animals. The nature of human beings is such that he cannot afford to live alone. This is one such human behavior that hasn’t changed much with time. No human being is normally developed in isolation. People still love socializing. Society, family, and culture are of utmost importance to the man. Man lives in society for his mental, psychological and intellectual development. It preserves the culture, customs, folkways, mores, norms, values, etc. and transmits it to succeeding generations. The social heritage helps his personality to develop in society.

Groups exist everywhere, and we are a part of it whether we realize this or not. Leave a man all alone for a month and see what happens to him. He will suffer from loneliness, depression and incur physical and mental health ailments due to it. In order to explain an individual’s behavior in a group, it is important to understand different types of groups, their norms, and values and possible causes of the conflicts.  It is not possible for a man to live alone. Man is and has always been a social animal. Individuals have their own importance, their behaviors and performance cannot be ignored as these influence the behaviors and production of groups they belong to. He loves being around other people. The essential qualities of human nature such as the capacity to acquire knowledge, learn a language, enquire and think; respect and regard, play, and work, help and the like are developed in society only.

The human infant comes into the world as a biological organism with animal needs. He is gradually molded into a social being and learns social ways” of acting and feeling through society. Now, while the younger generation wants their privacy and wishes to do things their own way this does not mean they do not feel the need to be around people. They have their own ways to do so. Working in groups is beneficial for an individual as he gets more exposure and learning takes place in many ways, and he also learns to survive in a group which is the basic necessity for an individual. Society both liberates and limits our potentialities as individuals and molds our attitudes, beliefs, morals, and ideals.

One of the important functions of society is to preserve the social heritage, which is intimately related to human beings. The human mind is ever enhancing and human intelligence is ever-growing but if there is one thing that has remained constant, it is his need to feel safe and secure. The personality, which is the total quality of an individual’s behavior, only develops in human society. This sense of security comes by being in touch with our near and dear ones. From the foregoing discussion, it may be concluded that man is a social animal.

A Moonlit Night

Climate change impact on solar and wind energy production

My Last Day at School

Baishakhi Mela

Set off and Carry forward of Unabsorbed Depreciation

Adjunct Professor Cover Letter

This Solar-Powered Aircraft Could One Day Fly for 90 Days Straight Without a Pilot

North American and European Insurtechs Are Recalibrating After a Blockbuster 2021

A Gigantic Iceberg has Broken Off from the Antarctic

Strange Deep-sea Animals Discovered in 2022

Latest post.

Top QS World University Rankings 2024

Nano-oscillator Achieves Record Quality Factor

Not Only Do Opposites Attract: A New Study Demonstrates That Like-Charged Particles Can Come Together

A Breakthrough in Single-photon Integration Shows Promise for Quantum Computing and Cryptography

Could the Sun be Conscious? Enter the Unorthodox World of Panpsychism

The Brains of Conspiracy Theorists Are Different: Here’s How

Community / Health

‘man is a social animal’.

Qatar Social Responsibility Week set to convene in Sept

Threads introduces new desktop interface

Man Is a Social Animal

• First Online: 24 April 2019

Cite this chapter

• Anurag K. Agarwal 2  

999 Accesses

1 Citations

“Man Is a Social Animal” discusses the emergence of social media in recent times and the importance it deserves in business communication, along with the legal implications. In the last decade or so there have been dramatic changes observed in the way social media has been emerging, thanks to the galloping development in technology and different business models which make this technology easily accessible to almost every one, irrespective of the economic strata to which they belong. Businesses find it challenging in the changing times to keep pace with the revolutionary changes happening in the social media as businesses ought to be moving ahead with the changes and keeping themselves aligned with the extremely fast-changing norms lest they should fall back in the competition race. However, in this entire exercise they must maintain legal uprightness, both in content and language used.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Durable hardcover edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Aristotle, Politics; https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/183896-man-is-by-nature-a-social-animal-an-individual-who

William Cowper, “The Solitude of Alexander Selkirk.”

Principles of Sociology, Lester F. Ward, The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 8 (Jul., 1896), pp. 1–31, Published by Sage Publications, Inc., in association with the American Academy of Political and Social Science, https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1009590.pdf

The U.S. Constitution, Fourth Amendment, 1792.

Roberts, C. J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan, JJ., joined. Kennedy, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Thomas and Alito, JJ., joined. Thomas, J., filed a dissenting opinion. Alito, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Thomas, J., joined. Gorsuch, J., filed a dissenting opinion.

United States v. Jones, 565 U.S. 400 (2012). The case involved the installation of a global positioning system (GPS) tracking device on a car, which was challenged in the court on the basis of the Fourth Amendment, and the Supreme Court held that it was search .

Roberts, C. J., Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan, JJ.

In Ruling on Cellphone Location Data, Supreme Court Makes Statement on Digital Privacy; NYT, 22 June 2018 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/22/us/politics/supreme-court-warrants-cell-phone-privacy.html

Changing consumer preference and cost pressures bringing rivals closer in FMCG & automobile sectors; The Economic Times, 22 Sep 2018; https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/fmcg/changing-consumer-preference-and-cost-pressures-bringing-rivals-closer-in-fmcg-automobile-sectors/articleshow/65907856.cms

YouTube Apologizes for Translation Error in Polish Leader’s Video About Holocaust Bill.

By Maciej Martewicz and Adrian Krajewski, February 2, 2018, Bloomberg, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-02/translation-mix-up-dents-polish-efforts-to-defend-holocaust-bill

‘Is this a joke?’: SC blasts lower court for delivering order through WhatsApp; The Times of India, 9 Sep 2018; https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/is-this-a-joke-sc-blasts-lower-court-for-delivering-order-through-whatsapp/articleshow/65739971.cms

Google Spain SL, Google Inc. v. Agencia Española de Protección de Datos (AEPD), Mario Costeja González; The Court of Justice of the European Union (Grand Chamber); composed of V. Skouris, President, K. Lenaerts, Vice President, M. Ilešič (Rapporteur), L. Bay Larsen, T. von Danwitz, M. Safjan, Presidents of Chambers, J. Malenovský, E. Levits, A. Ó Caoimh, A. Arabadjiev, M. Berger, A. Prechal and E. Jarašiūnas Judges; Case C-131/12; 13 May 2014; http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document_print.jsf?doclang=EN&text=&pageIndex=0&docid=152065&cid=244711

Google loses landmark ‘right to be forgotten’ case, The Guardian, 13 Apr 2018; https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/13/google-loses-right-to-be-forgotten-case

Facing flak over surveillance fears, govt drops its plan for social media hub; The Indian Express; 4 Aug 2018; https://indianexpress.com/article/india/facing-flak-over-surveillance-fears-govt-drops-its-plan-for-social-media-hub-5291034/

Onus of keeping social media safe may shift from users to Facebook & WhatsApp: Telecom Secy; The Economic Times, 22 Sep 2018; https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/onus-of-keeping-social-media-safe-may-shift-from-users-to-facebook-whatsapp-telecom-secy/articleshow/65907922.cms

Google will make copyright disclaimers more prominent in image search; 9 Feb 2018; The Verge; https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/9/16994508/google-copyright-disclaimers-getty-images-search

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India

Anurag K. Agarwal

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anurag K. Agarwal .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Agarwal, A.K. (2019). Man Is a Social Animal. In: Legal Language and Business Communication. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7534-7_6

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7534-7_6

Published : 24 April 2019

Publisher Name : Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore

Print ISBN : 978-981-13-7533-0

Online ISBN : 978-981-13-7534-7

eBook Packages : Business and Management Business and Management (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research