Ancient Wisdom: Life Is More Than Politics

Having just completed voting in midterm elections, Americans in 2023 will begin the now customary two-year process of choosing a president and thereby choosing a kind of political future. Amid this seemingly ceaseless campaigning, it is important for us to step back and remind ourselves just what politics can and cannot accomplish. Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas can help.

When we think about the purpose of politics, about how politics ought to be done, it is helpful to think about the opposite. There are two classic ways to go wrong in politics. One mistake is to take politics too seriously; the other, to treat it frivolously.

VL

About the Author

V. Bradley Lewis

V. Bradley Lewis is an associate professor of philosophy at the Catholic University of America, a scholar at the Institute for Human Ecology at CUA, and on the leadership of the IHE’s Program in Catholic Political Thought. He specializes in political and legal philosophy.

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Having just completed voting in midterm elections, Americans in 2023 will begin the now customary two-year process of choosing a president and thereby choosing a kind of political future. Amid this seemingly ceaseless campaigning, it is important for us to step back and remind ourselves just what politics can and cannot accomplish. Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas can help.

When we think about the purpose of politics, about how politics ought to be done, it is helpful to think about the opposite. There are two classic ways to go wrong in politics. One mistake is to take politics too seriously; the other, to treat it frivolously.

VL

About the Author

V. Bradley Lewis

V. Bradley Lewis is an associate professor of philosophy at the Catholic University of America, a scholar at the Institute for Human Ecology at CUA, and on the leadership of the IHE’s Program in Catholic Political Thought. He specializes in political and legal philosophy.