Al-Farabi’s Teleological Political Philosophy

(telos = goal, end, direction, ultimate good)

For Al-Farabi (870? – 950), as for Aristotle, realization of happiness is that for which the ideal city or nation is organized.

Happiness has intrinsic or absolute value. Everything else has instrumental value insofar as it furthers happiness. (Compare: “The end justifies the means.”)

What is happiness?

Al-Farabi: Happiness is the flourishing of our faculties under the guidance of rationality (the “Active Intellect”).

The five parts or faculties of the human soul:

1. the theoretical-rational (“Active Intellect”)

2. the practical-rational

3. the appetitive

4. the imaginative

5. the sensitive

Happiness is also thought of as religious “salvation.”

Premise: People have different abilities to know happiness, and many need guidance from a ruler who knows (better than themselves) their own ultimate good.

The virtuous ruler (= Plato’s philosopher-king) = the prophet, the person who can best provide guidance through knowing (better than anyone else) the ultimate good.

Conclusion: The virtuous and best cities are ruled by a prophet who trains people in the highest principles (partly by providing in himself/herself a model for life), and thereby secures the happiness of everyone.

A. The ignorant cities.

i. The indispensable city (association for the acquisition of necessities)

ii. The vile city (association for the sole purpose of hoarding wealth)

iii. The base city (association for the sole purpose of animal indulgence, gluttony, etc.)

iv. The timocratic city (association for the sole purpose of acquiring honors)

v. The despotic city (association for subjugation of others)

vi. The democratic city (association for individual freedom, i.e., “[Every] citizen is given free rein and left to do whatever he likes” (p. 90).

B. The immoral cities (exhibiting akrasia, “weakness of will,’’ i.e., knowing what is right but not doing it)

C. The erring cities

D. Weeds in virtuous cities