Aristotle on the purpose of our language and its relation to our ultra-sociality

The aim of this article is to explore Aristotle’s view on the relationship between human language and human ultra-sociality. I claim that although Aristotle considers the sociality of several animal species to be natural (physei) , he regards human sociality as greater in degree ( mallon ) because it is achieved and sustained only through cooperation mediated by language. Attaining this heightened form of sociality requires a communicative tool that goes beyond the mere pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain. It demands a conventional medium that enables us to detach from our immediate perceptions and imaginings ( aisthēseis , phantasiai ) and to enter the domain of constructing social relations grounded in justice. I argue that we accomplish this through the normativity inherent in human language.