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Aristotle on the wisdom of the many

c. 335–322 BCE, Athens (Lyceum). His own words, in the Politics.

Where and when

c. 335–322 BCEAthens (Lyceum)

about 2,353 years ago

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Aristotle

, Athens (Lyceum)His own words, in the Politics

In plain words, ours

When many people come together, each brings some goodness and sense. Together they're like one person with many feet, hands and minds.

…for, as they are many, each person brings in his share of virtue and wisdom; and thus, coming together, they are like one man made up of a multitude, with many feet, many hands, and many intelligences:

Aristotle, Politics 3.11Translated by William Ellis (1912)Read the full passage (Aristotle, Politics 3.11, opens gutenberg.org)

What was going on, our summary

In the Politics, Aristotle is weighing who should hold supreme power in a state: the many, or the few best people. He argues that even if no single person among the many is fit to rule, together they may do better, just as a shared public supper can beat one paid for by a single host.

Checked claim by claim against: the passage around the quote.

Related moments

In time order, with this one in its place. Each says why it is here.

  1. c. 386 BCEabout 58 years earlier Aspasia's speech on how a state shapes men Also about democracy and government
  2. c. 353 BCEabout 25 years earlier Plato's Seventh Letter on entering public life Also about democracy and government
  3. c. 348/347 BCEabout 19.5 years earlier Plato dies, aged about eighty Also in Athens
  4. 335/334 BCEabout 7 years earlier Aristotle opens his school at the Lyceum Also in Athens
  5. 336–323 BCEDuring it Diogenes meets Alexander Same years
  6. 334–323 BCEDuring it Alexander writes to Aristotle Same years
  7. c. 335–322 BCEThis momentAristotle on the wisdom of the many
  8. c. 335–322 BCEDuring it Aristotle on being angry the right way More from Aristotle
  9. c. 335–322 BCEDuring it Aristotle on becoming just by just acts More from Aristotle
  10. c. 335–322 BCEDuring it Aristotle on one swallow and happiness More from Aristotle
  11. 323 BCEabout 4.5 years later Alexander dies in Babylon Same years
  12. c. 324–321 BCEabout 5 years later Diogenes the Cynic dies in Corinth Same years
  13. by 323 BCEabout 5 years later Diogenes makes a tub his home Also in Athens

Just before and after

The text around the quote, word for word from the same translation.

Show the passageHide the passage

But some one may say, that it is wrong to let man have the supreme power and not the law, as his soul is subject to so many passions. But if this law appoints an aristocracy, or a democracy, how will it help us in our present doubts? for those things will happen which we have already mentioned. Other particulars we will consider separately; but it seems proper to prove, that the supreme power ought to be lodged with the many, rather than with those of the better sort, who are few; and also to explain what doubts (and probably just ones) may arise: now, though not one individual of the many may himself be fit for the supreme power, yet when these many are joined together, it does not follow but they may be better qualified for it than those; and this not separately, but as a collective body; as the public suppers exceed those which are given at one person's private expense:

The quote: for, as they are many, each person brings in his share of virtue and wisdom; and thus, coming together, they are like one man made up of a multitude, with many feet, many hands, and many intelligences:

Aristotle, Politics 3.10–11Translated by William Ellis (1912)Read the full passage (opens gutenberg.org)

When, and whose words

Date
c. 335–322 BCE. His works are hard to date; they are usually placed in his Lyceum years in Athens, 335–322 BCE.
Whose words
His own words, in the Politics. Who was Aristotle?
How this post was checked
  • The plain-words line was read against the quote alone by a second, independent pass, which found it adds no claim the quote does not make (2026-10-03).
  • Each claim in the summary was checked by an independent pass against only the material it cites.
  • The quote itself is checked by the build: word for word, once, at the cited section of the stored translation.

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