Who stated that man is a social animal?

Answer

In Politics, Book One, Aristotle said:

"Hence it is evident that the state is a creation of nature and that man by nature is a political animal."

The adjective that Aristotle used to describe man in Greek is 'politikos' which is where we get the English word political. For this reason, 'politikos' is often translated as political, however the actual Greek meaning was a little deeper. 'Politikos' came from the Greek word 'polis' meaning city-state. To be 'politikos' was to be a member of the 'polis' or a citizen. Being a citizen, while certainly implying participation in various political responsibilities, was more about being a part of society; contributing to the good of the whole. In this way, the meaning of 'politikos' more resembles the English word social than political.

John Locke also stated that "man is by nature a social animal" in regards to human nature.

First answer by ID1290510145. Last edit by Scottandwendi. Contributor trust: 16 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 29 [recommend question]