Poetic thoughts in and of the polis.
As my social philosophy is based on Aristotle ethics, the theme of virtuous living with contemplation that is aiming for eudaimonia is always recurring. A social philosophy is nothing without contemplation and contemplation is aimless without eudaimonia (happiness) that blossoms into a flourishing form of life.
Aristotle ethics is the core of the social philosophy. The golden mean in Aristotle ethics is the approach to the various relationships in the social milieu. A social philosophy is empty without considering our professions today. It is Aristotle ethics that guide the goodness of knowledge in the private, public and professional planes of reality. In order to comprehend Aristotle ethics appropriately, we have to always maintain a stable disposition of body and mind. This is the first pillar of the golden mean in Aristotle ethics. The second pillar in Aristotle ethics of the golden mean is that the mean we seek is relative in us - if there is a scale of 1 to 8, 4 would be the mean, 1 is the negative extreme and 8 is the positive extreme. But because it is relative in us, not everyone will have the same mean in every situation. The mean could be having a value of 2 when we are at home, 4 when we are at work and 7 when we are in the public. The third pillar of golden mean in Aristotle ethics would be that the mean falls between two vices. With this in mind, I had contemplated the golden mean to be analogous to water, the flow of water is akin to the flow of thoughts. Too much water is harmful due to flooding and too little water is also harmful due to drought. The right amount of water, the golden mean, would be ample for life to be happy and flourishing.
Therefore Aristotle ethics aim at happiness in the city and a city that constantly changes to the social, economic and political need of the people. The social philosophy that flourishes to a form of life that embraces adversity and diversity so that knowledge is the only good in a democratic constitution. The word 'politics' would then have its true meaning when 'polis' meaning 'city' with the suffix 'tics' to form the word 'politics', which means 'pertaining to the city.' Knowledge in Aristotle ethics and my social philosophy would then be the Good that defines the Law and, in turn, the Law will define the Good in the city. Knowledge, Aristotle ethics, contemplation and the love of wisdom (philosophy and in this sense a social philosophy) would then complete the cycle of virtuous living. With virtuous living, eudaimonia would then be more meaningful and continue to blossom into a flourishing form of life for one and all.