The Political Animal : Biology, Ethics and Politics

As Aristotle said, "people are political animals". Thus we share with other social mammals a concern for children and family that often gets ignored in mainstream political philosophy. Clark argues for these bonds that transcend state authority.

People, as Aristotle said, are political animals. Mainstream political philosophy, however, has largely neglected humankind''s animal nature as beings who are naturally equipped, and inclined, to reason and work together, create social bonds and care for their young. Stephen Clark, grounded in biological analysis and traditional ethics, probes into areas ignored in mainstream political theory and argues for the significance of social bonds which bypass or transcend state authority.
Understanding the ties that bind us reveals how enormously capable we are in achieving civil order as a species. Stephen Clark advocates that a properly informed political philosophy must take into account the role of women, children, animals, minorities and the domestic virtues at large. Living and comnducting our political lives like the animals we are is a more congenial prospect than is usually supposed.