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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Aristotle needed an editor.
The bad:This writing is scattered, a product of its antiquated time, and Aristotle really needed an editor to trim the spare words out.

The good:Ethics features a couple of key points which are really useful, those being that virtues are best in moderation (both inadequacy and excess of any given virtue cause problems) and that virtues -- and any aspect of character, really -- are cultivated through actions.

Overall: It can be a sometimes torturous read, but I found it to be worthwhile.

A Must READ!!!
This is one of the greatest books of all time.A must read if you are either a beginning Philosopher or a Professor of Philosophy. ... Read more

Product Description
Aristotle provided many brilliant insights into the political thinking, strategy, of leaders and the military. In many ways, it remains unsurpassed and it ought to be required reading in undergraduate classes on political strategy. Aristotle referred to leaders of each city-state over decades, if not centuries.Brilliant and merits an A+. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

outstanding
I found that Aristotle provided many brilliant insights into the political thinking, strategy, of leaders and the military.In many ways, it remains unsurpassed and it ought to be required reading in undergraduate classes on political strategy.On the downside, Aristotle referred to leaders of each city-state over decades, if not centuries, and, this made it difficult for at least this reader to fully appreciate the relevance and examples offered in this text.Brilliant and merits an A+. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The works of Aristotle the Famous Philosopher
I really like this book. but it could not possibly be written by Aristotle.It refers to historic instances that occured in 1512 and constantly refers to the bible.I thought Aristotle was a Greek in ancient times. I am confused about the title. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

How long is this text?
How long is this text?Electronic books should have a page or word count included. ... Read more

Product Description
Nicomachean Ethics is the name normally given to the most well-known work by Aristotle on virtue and moral character. It plays a prominent role in defining Aristotelian ethics. It consists of ten books based on notes said to be from his lectures at the Lyceum which were either edited by or dedicated to Aristotle's son, Nicomachus. In many ways this work parallels the similar Eudemian Ethics, which has only eight books, and the two works can be fruitfully compared.Aristotle states in the opening chapter that eudaimonia, often translated as well-being or happiness, is the highest goal of all human deliberate actions, and coincident with the aim of Politics, the subject of another closely related work of Aristotle. He takes this as a starting point, going on to describe what is necessary to be happy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (55)

Good Book But...
This is a very good book, it was delivered in a prompt manor as advertised, but I could not use it for my philosophy class. This edition does not come with the Bekker numbers that are required to keep up with the class discussions, and to complete the assignments. If you need a copy of Nicomachean Ethics to read, this is great, but for acedemic work this is not the edition for you, because of the exclusion of the Bekker numbers. My professor recommends this edition for class: Nicomachean Ethics: Aristotle you won't find a better edition than the Martin Ostwald translation of Aristotle's work!

Sachs' Translation.
Sachs' translation is by far the best I have come across. Not that others are not good but overcoming the mistakes of the Latin tradition and translation is invaluable for reading Aristotle and understanding his challenging and insightful views. You cannot go wrong with this translation for both price and accuracy. Sachs has rendered what is beautiful in the Greek, beautiful in English, though Aristotle is not striving for beauty in the same manner as a poet in traditional terms. The Nicomachean Ethics should be reread every year. It is that foundational a work of philosophy.

Eudaimonic!
This book is excellent. Although my ethics professor authorized us to use any translation, this is the one he really recommended. Irwin's notes are robust and very helpful.

Amazing Condition, clean, and just Perfect!
Clean, nicely packaged, and overall wonderful condition!
Came right on the time mentioned, no late or too early, perfect timing!
This seller is a secure purchase and dose meets all standards!

Basis for scientific and Christian ethics
To the reviewer above who managed to simulataneously disparage Plato and all religions in one fell swoop, please keep in mind that Aristotle was the basis for Thomas Aquinas, who in turn is the basis for almost the entire Roman Catholic teaching orthdox teaching. Don't let your eagerness to rid the world of religion interfere with your critical faculties!! ... Read more

Product Description
The writings of Greek philosopher ARISTOTLE (384BC–322BC)—student of Plato, teacher of Alexander the Great—are among the most influential on Western thought, and indeed upon Western civilization itself. From theology and logic to politics and even biology, there is no area of human knowledge that has not been touched by his thinking.Poetics—one of Aristotle’s greatest works—is the philosopher’s grand and insightful essay on art and its purposes. Why must a story have a beginning, a middle, and an end? How can we define tragedy, and what is the artistic purpose of it? Is there one “ideal” kind of drama? What is the nature of poetry? How consciously should poets and playwrights construct their work?All these questions, and others, are discussed and debated in this, perhaps the single most significant text in Western critical tradition. Writers, actors, students of literature, and armchair philosophers will find it a challenging—and rewarding—read.Amazon.com Review
The original, Aristotle's short study of storytelling, writtenin the fourth century B.C., is the world's first critical book aboutthe laws of literature.Sure, it's 2400 years old, but Aristotle'sdiscussions--Unity of Plot, Reversal of the Situation,Character--though written in the context of ancient Greek Tragedy,Comedy and Epic Poetry, still apply to our modern literary forms. Thebook is quite short, and Aristotle illuminates his points with clearexamples, making the Poetics perfectly readable, the better toimpress people at parties when you say, "Of course, as Aristotlesays..." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Tragedy teaches us something about life
I read these works for a graduate seminar on Aristotle.
Poetry appeals to human passions and emotions. Powerful beautiful language and metaphor really appeal to emotion. This idea really disturbed Plato, who takes on Homer in the Republic. Plato thought that early Greek poetry portrays a dark world; humans are checked by negative limits like death. Tragedy has in it a character of high status brought down through no fault of his own. Plato says this is unjust. Republic is about ethical life and justice. It starts with the premises that might makes right and then moves onto the idea much like modern religions that justice comes in the afterlife. Plato hates the idea that in tragedy bad things can happen to good people. He wanted to ban tragedy because he found it demoralizing.

Aristotle's Poetics is a defense against Plato's appeal to ban tragedy. Tragedy was very popular in Greek world so Aristotle asks can it be wrong to ban it? Yes, it is wrong thus he decides to study it. Plato says Poetry is not a technç because the poets are divinely inspired. Aristotle disagrees Poetics is a handbook for playwrights. Mimçsis= "representation or imitation." Plato uses it in speaking of painting, thus art is imitation. Another meaning is to mimic, like actors mimicking another person. Plato and Aristotle use it to mean psychological identification like how we get absorbed in a movie as if the action were real, eliciting emotions from us. We suspend reality for a while. Aristotle says this is natural in humans; we do this as children, we mimic. If imitation is important for humans then tragic poetry is worthwhile for Aristotle to study.

Definition of tragedy- "Through pity and fear it achieves purification from such feelings. This is a famous controversial line. Katharsis= "pity and fear" thus the purpose of tragedy is to purge katharsis. Katharsis can also mean purification or clean. There is a debate if it means clarification, through which we can come to understand katharsis. Aristotle thinks tragedy teaches us something about life. Tragedy is an elaboration on Aristotle's idea that good or virtuous people sometimes get unlucky and in the end, they get screwed. Tragedy shows this so we can learn to get by when life screws us. The whole point of tragedy is action over character. Action is the full story of the poem like the Iliad. Character is only part of the action.
Aristotle distinguishes between poetry and history. Poetry is concerned with universals, history is concerned with particulars.

I recommend Aristotle's works to anyone interested in obtaining a classical education, and those interested in philosophy. Aristotle is one of the most important philosophers and the standard that all others must be judged by.

Excellent text for intro to theatre course
This translation uses terminology appropriate for teaching the Poetics to beginning theatre students. It is an excellent version for use in a theatre (as opposed to philosophy) class, and the budget price and slim size of the edition make it a fine bargain for students with limited finances. As a theatre teacher of students from middle school to college, I strongly recommend selecting this particular edition and translation of the Poetics for use in discussing the parts of drama in an introductory course.

Tragedy Teaches Us Something About Life
I read these works for a graduate seminar on Aristotle.
Poetry appeals to human passions and emotions.Powerful beautiful language and metaphor really appeal to emotion.This idea really disturbed Plato, who takes on Homer in the Republic.Plato thought that early Greek poetry portrays a dark world; humans are checked by negative limits like death.Tragedy has in it a character of high status brought down through no fault of his own.Plato says this is unjust.Republic is about ethical life and justice.It starts with the premises that might makes right and then moves onto the idea much like modern religions that justice comes in the afterlife.Plato hates the idea that in tragedy bad things can happen to good people.He wanted to ban tragedy because he found it demoralizing.

Aristotle's Poetics is a defense against Plato's appeal to ban tragedy.Tragedy was very popular in Greek world so Aristotle asks can it be wrong to ban it?Yes, it is wrong thus he decides to study it.Plato says Poetry is not a technç because the poets are divinely inspired.Aristotle disagrees Poetics is a handbook for playwrights.Mimçsis= "representation or imitation."Plato uses it in speaking of painting, thus art is imitation.Another meaning is to mimic, like actors mimicking another person.Plato and Aristotle use it to mean psychological identification like how we get absorbed in a movie as if the action were real, eliciting emotions from us.We suspend reality for a while.Aristotle says this is natural in humans; we do this as children, we mimic.If imitation is important for humans then tragic poetry is worthwhile for Aristotle to study.

Definition of tragedy- "Through pity and fear it achieves purification from such feelings.This is a famous controversial line.Katharsis= "pity and fear" thus the purpose of tragedy is to purge katharsis.Katharsis can also mean purification or clean.There is a debate if it means clarification, through which we can come to understand katharsis.Aristotle thinks tragedy teaches us something about life.Tragedy is an elaboration on Aristotle's idea that good or virtuous people sometimes get unlucky and in the end, they get screwed.Tragedy shows this so we can learn to get by when life screws us.The whole point of tragedy is action over character.Action is the full story of the poem like the Iliad.Character is only part of the action.
Aristotle distinguishes between poetry and history.Poetry is concerned with universals, history is concerned with particulars.

I recommend Aristotle's works to anyone interested in obtaining a classical education, and those interested in philosophy.Aristotle is one of the most important philosophers and the standard that all others must be judged by.

Tragedy Teaches Us Something About Life
I read these works for a graduate seminar on Aristotle.
Poetry appeals to human passions and emotions.Powerful beautiful language and metaphor really appeal to emotion.This idea really disturbed Plato, who takes on Homer in the Republic.Plato thought that early Greek poetry portrays a dark world; humans are checked by negative limits like death.Tragedy has in it a character of high status brought down through no fault of his own.Plato says this is unjust.Republic is about ethical life and justice.It starts with the premises that might makes right and then moves onto the idea much like modern religions that justice comes in the afterlife.Plato hates the idea that in tragedy bad things can happen to good people.He wanted to ban tragedy because he found it demoralizing.

Aristotle's Poetics is a defense against Plato's appeal to ban tragedy.Tragedy was very popular in Greek world so Aristotle asks can it be wrong to ban it?Yes, it is wrong thus he decides to study it.Plato says Poetry is not a technç because the poets are divinely inspired.Aristotle disagrees Poetics is a handbook for playwrights.Mimçsis= "representation or imitation."Plato uses it in speaking of painting, thus art is imitation.Another meaning is to mimic, like actors mimicking another person.Plato and Aristotle use it to mean psychological identification like how we get absorbed in a movie as if the action were real, eliciting emotions from us.We suspend reality for a while.Aristotle says this is natural in humans; we do this as children, we mimic.If imitation is important for humans then tragic poetry is worthwhile for Aristotle to study.

Definition of tragedy- "Through pity and fear it achieves purification from such feelings.This is a famous controversial line.Katharsis= "pity and fear" thus the purpose of tragedy is to purge katharsis.Katharsis can also mean purification or clean.There is a debate if it means clarification, through which we can come to understand katharsis.Aristotle thinks tragedy teaches us something about life.Tragedy is an elaboration on Aristotle's idea that good or virtuous people sometimes get unlucky and in the end, they get screwed.Tragedy shows this so we can learn to get by when life screws us.The whole point of tragedy is action over character.Action is the full story of the poem like the Iliad.Character is only part of the action.
Aristotle distinguishes between poetry and history.Poetry is concerned with universals, history is concerned with particulars.

I recommend Aristotle's works to anyone interested in obtaining a classical education, and those interested in philosophy.Aristotle is one of the most important philosophers and the standard that all others must be judged by.

Tragedy Teaches Us Something About Life
I read these works for a graduate seminar on Aristotle.
Poetry appeals to human passions and emotions.Powerful beautiful language and metaphor really appeal to emotion.This idea really disturbed Plato, who takes on Homer in the Republic.Plato thought that early Greek poetry portrays a dark world; humans are checked by negative limits like death.Tragedy has in it a character of high status brought down through no fault of his own.Plato says this is unjust.Republic is about ethical life and justice.It starts with the premises that might makes right and then moves onto the idea much like modern religions that justice comes in the afterlife.Plato hates the idea that in tragedy bad things can happen to good people.He wanted to ban tragedy because he found it demoralizing.

Aristotle's Poetics is a defense against Plato's appeal to ban tragedy.Tragedy was very popular in Greek world so Aristotle asks can it be wrong to ban it?Yes, it is wrong thus he decides to study it.Plato says Poetry is not a technç because the poets are divinely inspired.Aristotle disagrees Poetics is a handbook for playwrights.Mimçsis= "representation or imitation."Plato uses it in speaking of painting, thus art is imitation.Another meaning is to mimic, like actors mimicking another person.Plato and Aristotle use it to mean psychological identification like how we get absorbed in a movie as if the action were real, eliciting emotions from us.We suspend reality for a while.Aristotle says this is natural in humans; we do this as children, we mimic.If imitation is important for humans then tragic poetry is worthwhile for Aristotle to study.

Definition of tragedy- "Through pity and fear it achieves purification from such feelings.This is a famous controversial line.Katharsis= "pity and fear" thus the purpose of tragedy is to purge katharsis.Katharsis can also mean purification or clean.There is a debate if it means clarification, through which we can come to understand katharsis.Aristotle thinks tragedy teaches us something about life.Tragedy is an elaboration on Aristotle's idea that good or virtuous people sometimes get unlucky and in the end, they get screwed.Tragedy shows this so we can learn to get by when life screws us.The whole point of tragedy is action over character.Action is the full story of the poem like the Iliad.Character is only part of the action.
Aristotle distinguishes between poetry and history.Poetry is concerned with universals, history is concerned with particulars.

I recommend Aristotle's works to anyone interested in obtaining a classical education, and those interested in philosophy.Aristotle is one of the most important philosophers and the standard that all others must be judged by.
... Read more

Product Description
Preserved by Arabic mathematicians and canonized by Christian scholars, Aristotle’s works have shaped Western thought, science, and religion for nearly two thousand years. Richard McKeon’s The Basic Works of Aristotle–constituted out of the definitive Oxford translation and in print as a Random House hardcover for sixty years–has long been considered the best available one-volume Aristotle. Appearing in paperback at long last, this edition includes selections from the Organon, On the Heavens, The Short Physical Treatises, Rhetoric, among others, and On the Soul, On Generation and Corruption, Physics, Metaphysics, Nicomachean Ethics, Politics, and Poetics in their entirety. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

fantastic
order arrived promptly and was in great condition!There was even a hand-written "Thank you" on the receipt. great job!

A Good Buy and a Solid Translation
This in my opinion is the finest one volume collection of the works of Aristotle. I cannot offer anything novel in my review; other reviewers furnished numerous pertinent instructive descriptions. Having the material in one volume is very helpful and I too think the Oxford work isn't as rigid. I recommend it to anyone who desires the meat of Aristotle's work in a format that is inexpensive and convenient. Textual criticism may not allow one to know which texts are genuine among the extant material, but what we do have of assumed Aristotelian thought is utterly important and stunningly relevant in today's philosophical discussions.
All philosophers, epistemologists, and apologists should own this compilation and contrast it to the Oxford edition.

An edition with definite pros and cons
Of Aristotle's works, I offer no critique; what could I say that has not been said more clearly and elegantly by reviewers more expert than I on the subject?Beyond the incredible historical and cultural import of the works, the fact that the writings of a scientist and philosopher who lived some 2300+ years ago resonate so clearly with the modern reader speaks to their brilliance--even in the cases where philosophical and scientific advances made some ideas outdated.Instead, I critique this particular volume, which in my mind has several strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths: As others have noticed, this is the best one-volume compilation of Aristotle's works.In terms of cost and convenience that makes this an attractive work.For someone interested in the full scope of Aristotle's works, this would be a nice version to have.

Weaknesses: I cannot read the original Greek to compare the translation to the original, but in English, the translation can come off as a bit dry, dated, and uninspired.For me, I also missed the lack of introductory material or other commentary on the works, which are quite difficult for the general reader.In retrospect, as I was interested in gaining in-depth exposure to some of Aristotle's "greatest hits" rather than the entire magnitude of his works, I probably would've been better off buying a smaller number of works separately.Greater cost would've been outweighed by the greater commentary which separate works could've provided.For people reading this material as part of a class, this might not be an important weakness, but it is important for readers like me attempting to gain some insight to the wisdom of Aristotle through independent study.

A version with definite pros and cons; I believe its utility depends on the intended usage and the existing familiarity with Aristotle's works of the reader.I believe this version is very good on its own merits, but again as a more general reader looking for exposure to the philosophy of Aristotle, I don't know that this was the best version for me.I am not too proud to admit that as a newcomer to Aristotle I would have enjoyed a little hand-holding as I navigated his philosophical realm for the first time; buying separate versions of his works might've been best.However, for the reader looking for a one-volume version of Aristotle's works, this is the version for you.

The Oxford translation seems better than this one
I'm only just starting to read Aristotle's works, but already I wish I got the 2-volume Oxford set. Compare the line 20 of the first book (translated by Edghill) from Basic Works:

"Of things themselves some are predicable of a subject, and are never present in a subject. Thus 'man' is predicable of the individual man, and is never present in a subject."

to the corresponding line from the Oxford (translated by Ackrill):

"Of things there are (a) some are *said* of a subject but are not *in* any subject. For example, man is said of a subject, the individual man, but is not in any subject."

The Oxford seems to be a smoother translation, and perhaps a little clearer.

Also some of the works in Basic Works are abridged. For example, Chapters 4-33 are omitted from On Sophistical Refutations.

Damaged
The book was damaged during shipping, so the edges were tattered. Returned for full refund. Otherwise, it was brand new. ... Read more

Product Description
Aristotle's Rhetoric is an ancient Greek treatise on the art of persuasion, dating from the 4th century BC. In English, its title varies: typically it is titled the Rhetoric, the Art of Rhetoric, or a Treatise on Rhetoric. Like the other works of Aristotle that have survived from antiquity, the Rhetoricseems not to have been intended for publication, being instead a collection of his students' notes in response to his lectures. The treatise shows the development of Aristotle's thought through two different periods while he was in Athens, and illustrates Aristotle's expansion of the study of rhetoric beyond Plato's early criticism of it in the Gorgias(ca. 386 BC) as immoral, dangerous, and unworthy of serious study. Plato's final dialogue on rhetoric, the Phaedrus (ca.370 BC), offered a more moderate view of rhetoric, acknowledging its value in the hands of a true philosopher (the "midwife of the soul") for "winning the soul through discourse." This dialogue offered Aristotle, first a student and then a teacher at Plato's Academy, a more positive starting point for the development of rhetoric as an art worthy of systematic, scientific study. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Relevant 2300 Years Ago, Relevant Today
As Hugh Lawson-Tancred states in his introduction to this volume, "It would be hard to deny that the ability to persuade, convince, cajole, or win round is one of the most useful skills in human life."That was as true when Aristotle wrote "The Art of Rhetoric" in ancient Greece as it is in Western culture today.

Aristotle urges orators to take human nature into account when preparing speeches, and consequently discusses many aspects of human nature and character, the stages of life and their characteristics, virtues, justice, and crime and punishment.

Many things about argument have not changed over the millennia; for instance, Aristotle recommends arguing for some greater, universal good when the written law is contrary to your own position, but when the written law is in accord with your position, he counsels that you argue that best judgment means adhering to the written law.

Aristotle also offers methods for establishing proof and provides tips on style when speaking."The Art of Rhetoric" is a timeless classic, offering great insights into psychology and the human condition.It offers important benefits to the prospective reader--knowing how pop culture figures, preachers, politicians, and other public figures seek to influence others would make the reader not just a better speaker, but a much more discerning listener as well.

Beyond powerpoint. Be pursuasive and good!
Rhetoric sounds dubious. Is it concerned about convincing people of what you think is right for you but not necessarily good for the person you want to convince. Is it about selling your ideas to gain power or wealth by overwhelming your audience with false arguments convincingly presented?
Aristotle tries to solve this dilemma insisting that all persuasion should be with the intention of making a contribution to happiness by furthering virtuous behavior. He also presents the methods you should use to convince people to believe you. I find the book useful from both points of view.
Aristotle explains very clearly that to be persuasive you have to be rational and have the ability to understand and arouse emotions of the audience in your favor.
The book was written as a kind of handbook to be used 2400 years ago. Most of it, but not all is still valid to day. It has become a common practice to use PowerPoint presentations to convince people. The method of Aristotle is about content, structure, logic and emotions. Some slides may still be useful, but if you really want to be successful you better focus on the content using Aristotle type argumentation. All people that have to make speeches or presentations will find a wealth of ideas in this book. I found it a pity that the book does not contain complete speeches of Aristotle. The book should be of special interest to politicians and leaders in business that have to address large audiences with somecritical and skeptical members.

Aristotle Rhetoric
I never received the book however I was charged for it the day I ordered it.I have emailed the seller twice with no response.I would like a refund immediately.

it's cheap for a reason
this was yanked from the public domain. spend a little more and get a better version.

Research for a class in Informal Logic
I purchased 'Rhetoric' for help in my research paper for a "Informal Logic

" college class. It did the job.
... Read more

Product Description
Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) taught logic to Alexander the Great and, by virtue of his philosophical works, to every philosopher since. Here, the 20th century's Mortimer J. Adler instructs the world in Aristotelian logic. By encouraging readers to think philosophically, Adler offers us a unique path to personal insights and understanding of intangibles, such as the difference between wants and needs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

A Broad yet Undemanding Overview on Aristotle
Aristotle for Everybody covers the main elements of Aristotle's philosophy condensed into a straightforward overview.Adler covers all the basics expanding the attitude and thought process of Aristotle into extremely simplified explanations.

Adler's work, despite seemingly noble intentions, accomplishes simplicity at the expense of substance.Adler spoke early of naming this book "Aristotle for Children" instead of its current title and he indubitably would have been better served had he stuck with his first instinct.This book may be of value to early students and teens looking for an introduction to Aristotle, yet even then one might still be better served merely checking Wikipedia, which offers a similar level of stimulation.

Adler is capable and adequately grasps the material, yet for any philosophy enthusiast this book will prove to be far too restrained, essentially only skimming the surface of Aristotle's weighty philosophy..If you desire to dive into Aristotle but are not yet committed to his full works, I suggest examining some of the cliff notes available that provide better and more pensive discussion on his thoughts yet still maintain a sense of brevity.

A very accessible introduction to a very important thinker
Adler's introduction to Aristotle is a must read for anyone interested in beginning to appreciate one of the most influential thinkers of all time. This is written for the general public, and it succeeds marvelously at what it sets out to do (although, for those wanting go deeper, the author includes a second table of contents at the end, with detailed references to original sources). The book covers the major aspects of Aristotle's thought, from his understanding of causality to his ethics, from his discussions of what it means to lead a good life to his concept of god. I found the organization of the book in broad sections, each further subdivided into bite size chapters, very easy on the reader, as it should be. Inevitably, different people will find different parts of the book more engaging than others. In my case I have a preference for Adler's discussion of Aristotle's four causes (early in the book) and how it explains the philosopher's thinking about god as prime mover of the universe (later in the volume). Particularly insightful is Adler's discussion of the difference between the Aristotelian and the Christian conceptions of god. The author strove to avoid technical language, which is admirable in this sort of books. Still, I wish he had left in a few particularly useful Greek words, especially "eudaimonia" (which simply does not translate to the English "happiness") and "akrasia" (weakness of the will). Regardless, a very good choice to get your feet wet in the area of ancient Greek philosophy, or indeed of philosophy more generally.

Aristotle is for everybody
Philosophy is everybody's business according to Mortimer Adler and to him Aristotle is our best teacher. His views are timeless because he drew them from the common experience of all men from all time. He was the master of uncommon common sense.

Aristotle says reason is what is common to all mankind. The ability to ask questions about the world, to categorize and to play philosophical games. Man utilizes reason in three directions: producing, practicing and knowing. Alder follows this scheme to explain Aristotle's synoptic view of the world.

As a producer man transforms nature into art. The possibility of art or culture made by human purpose is predicated on the change that happens all the time in the world. Changes are categorized by type (location, quantity, quality, coming to be and passing away) and causes (material, efficient, formal, final). All things in the world are composed of form and matter. The form is what gives things their universality, their what-ness. Matter is what gives things their particularity, their this-ness. Form is a thing's function. Matter, its potentiallity to adopt function. So when someone produces a new thing he trans-forms an old thing. He first has the idea in his mind of the form of what he wishes to make, then with the right know-how, he imposes it upon the materials.

As a practicer or a doer man is concerned with ends and means. What he wants to do and what he needs to do first in order to achieve it. Aristotle contends that all men need a master plan that directs all action to a single goal. From the axiom that what is really good is desirable he concludes that the ultimate end of all men is the good life, or Happiness. Unfortunately, man has acquired desires that are not good for him and for too much of things that are only good in limited proportions. For this reason Aristotle makes virtue, or the habit of choosing the real goods that will bring happiness, the chief good. But even the virtuous man can be impeded in his pursuit of happiness by bad fortune. For this reason individuals associate together first in families. Here they help each other find the bodily goods necessary to live and the social goods necessary to live well. To further meet their social need men gather in states. Those that love each other go to lengths to see that they get the goods that they need, while all men owe justice to one another, that is, that they do nothing to interfere with them obtaining the goods necessary for happiness. Because not all men love one another and not all men are just governments are necessary.

In the part on man as a knower, Adler deals with the process of thinking itself. Aristotle's theory of knowledge begins with the senses. Information about the bodies in the external world is brought into the mind through our sense organs. The mind pieces together our sensations, relates them, works them through the imagination and memory and then makes ideas. Ideas are the forms of the things we sense extracted from the matter and put into our minds. When the mind begins relating ideas and making assertion then it has progressed to the realm of reasoning and inference. According to Aristotle there are rules that govern the validity and truth of reasoning and inference, such as the law of non-contradiction. What is cannot be what is not and what is not cannot be what is. Adler then explains the difference between contradictories, contraries and subcontraries. Next, the rules for syllogisms or mediate arguments. Finally, he gets to explaining the levels of knowing we can have. To Aristotle, self evident truths, axioms, and conclusions from them are the only things that are knowledge, everything else is varying degrees of opinion. There is mere personal taste. Then there are opinions held on the authority of others and not reason, whether true/false, axiomatic/non-axiomatic. Last, there are the scientific, historical, and philosophical conclusions based off the preponderance of the evidence.

The last four chapters of the book are what Adler calls "difficult questions." The first is on the concept of infinity. Adler gives Aristotle's refutation of Democritus' infinite, indivisible atom theory and discusses the reason that potential infinity is a possibility but an actual infinity in existence is not. In the next chapter (Eternity) Adler says that time (the dimension of change) is infinite in both directions, ie, the world has no beginning and no end, because all change must have a cause. In "The Immateriality of Mind", Adler further elaborates on matter and form, explaining how the forms are the immaterial aspect of the material world and that the mind is thus necessarily immaterial in order to collect the forms as ideas. In his chapter on "God" he discusses how Aristotle's prime mover is a purely actual, perfect, immaterial being that causes all change without himself being caused through being an attractive force or a final cause to the heavenlies.

Mortimer Adler's style is clear and concise. He writes at a popular level without technical philosophical jargon or uncommon philosophical concepts. He uses many helpful and humorous illustrations.

As far as Adler's fidelity to Aristotle is concerned, I am not qualified to comment except to state where he openly declares his dissent from the Philosopher. The first thing I remember is that Adler takes exception to Aristotle's view that slaves and women are not entitled to the same rights as free men. I suppose this might make much of Adler's view on justice and government suspect. Another instance is in his chapter on God Adler postulates the prime mover as a Creator in the sense that he is necessary to sustain the world's existence.

Intro for the Young Reader
Aristotle for Everybody is a brief introduction to Aristotle aimed at the young reader. Its target audience is probably the inquisitive student in the 12-14 range who is seeking an overview of Aristotelian thought.

I accidentally picked up this book after glancing at a couple of the reviews on this site. I was about to re-read some Aristotle and was seeking to re-acquaint myself with his particular style and language. This is definitely not the book for this purpose.

Adler's text is clearly geared to the young reader who has not been introduced to philosophy. I do not mean this to be disrespectful but to help oher readers avoid my mistake. Adler, himself notes in the introduction that his initial thought was to title the work Aristotle for Children. Indeed for the young reader this may not be an inappropriate mechanism for introducing Aristotle.

Aristotle-Everybody's philosopher
Mortimer Adler is one of my favorite philosophers because; he can take complex philosophical ideas and make them understandable for the non-philosopher.This is a great skill that few philosophers posses and one of the reasons why ordinary people do not read philosophy.In this book, Adler distills Aristotle's thoughts on metaphysics, ethics, and political philosophy.My major interest is in political philosophy, how do humans create a better society to live in?Aristotle builds a case for the need all of us to strive to live the "good life."A few of Aristotle's quotes are in order to delineate his thinking. "That which is really `good' for us is something we always ought to desire because we need it.""A good life is one that has been lived by making morally virtuous choices or decisions."Aristotle was the first philosopher to label man as "a social animal.""Human beings can not live well or achieve the best lives for themselves, by living well or achieve the best lives for themselves, by living together in families and tribes."To achieve this "good life" we must live in states.So, what is the best state?The best state provides a guarantee of freedoms, less economic regulation, provide a safety net for people with bad luck, provide a good education so that we can be trained to make us morally virtuous citizens.

I cannot sing Adler's praises enough; he does a great job of simplifying Aristotle's concepts.A great beginning book on philosophy, which delves into the teachings of the most brilliant person in history.

As a retired Army officer and student of political philosophy, I found this to be a great book to continue one's journey into political philosophy.

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Customer Reviews (10)

Review of Oxford's 'Complete Aristotle: Volume I'
I'm pleased that this book is as complete as it claims to be. Between the two volumes, the readers meets with every aspect of Aristotle's thought, including almost one hundred pages of fragments testimonies.

Unfortunately, I also have several complaints...

a) most of these translations are old - early 20th century old - and this doesn't always make it very easy to read them; they are, if you will, 'classic' translations, but I would have preferred to see Oxford hire a new team of translators to assemble and Aristotle fit for the new century

b) there is very, very little commentary - admittedly, here I compare the complete works of Aristotle to the complete works of Plato, published by Hackett. In Hackett's Plato, there are occasional footnotes to aid the reader's understanding of difficult passages. The Oxford Aristotle only notes paragraphs that were excised in the original translations, and, very, very occasional (10-20 times in the entire library) provides more substantial notes. There aren't even endnotes!

c) there are no introductions to give context to the works - again, I compare with Hackett's Plato. It would have been nice to hear the story behind works of disputed authorship, rather than simply placing a * or ** next to the title of the dialogue. It would also serve to consider how each work relates to the rest of Aristotle's corpus

d) the fragments are poorly arranged. I can see how certain fragments might not specifically reference a certain work, but the editors already arrange them according to the works they supposedly reference - what they don't do is formally divide them as such. Instead, they are placed into general categories.

In summary, what I received from my 8-9 months of Oxford's Aristotle was an incomplete experience. I had hoped to see the best scholarship that money could buy, and instead I met with Jonathan Barne's 'hands-off' tendencies. I respect the idealism of leaving a work to speak for himself, but I also deeply appreciate the guidance of those who have read the Philosopher before me.

Would I buy these books again? Likely, no, I would instead go through the hassle of assembling all of Aristotle's work in smaller collections, finding editions of different works that feature introductions, footnotes and newer translations.

d)

Marvelous- It's ALL in here folks!(BOTH VOLUMES)
I studied philosophy in a French speaking Institute in Europe.These two volumes came in very handy.The first question that may come to mind for those shopping for Aristotle is whether it's necessary to purchase the "Complete Works" and not just a volume of Major Works.In fact, it's not necessary- you'll get so much enrichment from even one major work of The Philosopher, especially with the aid of a competent professor.However, the complete works will ensure you that you have everything, and provide a good deal more reading enjoyment (even Aristotle's final will and testament is printed in Vol. II).

Aside from that, the translations contained in these works are considered the best available in English (and perhaps any) language other than the original Greek.To testify to this fact, some of my native French professors would occassionally ask to borrow my volumes to make photocopies of certain passages (or more), telling me that they felt the English translations were far better done than those in their native tounge!(And we know how much the French care for their native tounge!)

All in all, excellent books and money well spent.

a bit of irony
is that, although these volumes contain the absolute worst translations of aristotle available, they're probably the best bet for people who are serious about aristotle and the worst bet for people who are just reading this or that text for a class, personal interest, etc. the reason they're good for people who are serious about aristotle is the very simple reason that it's all there, so if you're scanning your bonitz and bonitz says the definition of some term or another is in one of the writings on animals, you can at least (with a bit of detachment) see what in hell he's talking about (if the greek isn't there) without having to get up! in other words, you've got it all, sister!, which is really the only advantage to be culled from having these books. the margins are just meaty enough to import greek phrases, retranslate sections of text, etc., so it turns out to be a nice reference tool for scholars. why? because it's all there! now, if you're just 'into' aristotle, as i said, don't (for godsakes) get these books. read apostle's translations. sachs is alright, but he can throw you off. of course, you can also get the real cheapies from hackett, and some of them aren't bad (in general, by the way, hackett's the way to go for translations). besides, these things are weighty and difficult to maneuver; they're really for reading at a table, so you can't really tuck up with them, if you see what i mean. another nice thing about these volumes is that they stay open by themselves (no finagling with or breaking the binding)! i'm not joking: aristotle scholars couldn't have a better english-language resource.

Where's Volume 2?
(This is not a review, it's just instruction for those who, like me, had trouble finding Volume 2 or the two-volume set).If you're at the "Complete Works of Aristotle, Vol. 1" page, you can click on "Other Editions: Hardcover" to get to Volume 2.But how do you get to the two-volume set?The easiest way is to do a normal search for books by Aristotle.You will find an entry for "Complete Works of Aristotle, Vol. 1".Neither the second volume nor the two-volume set will appear in the results!Instead, click on "Other Editions:See all (3)".Then you'll get a page listing each volume individually, plus the two-volume set. (I had to give a rating just to post this, so I just gave it a 4 for now.)

for the student of logic and biology
The first volume of Aristotle's complete works will give any Analytical Philosopher a fine felicity. However, if, like myself, you find logic to be a tedious and removed (although worthwhile) activity, you will find the first 314 pages to be, well, an antidote to insomnia (However to note, the medievals considered these logical works to be some of the finest of Aristotle's. There are also some good sayings, such as '...if you can find noone else to argue with, then argue with yourself' in these works). Then, you will reach the Physics, a must read (along with Augustines Confessions (Book 11 in that work I believe) and Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason) of any student who considers the contemplation of time a worthwhile activity (in my own philosophy, I consider the contemplation of time to be that which is most important in Philosophy, mainly because it allows us to realize that 'given enough time everything becomes insignificant' and therefore, what has significance, the 'given' or now, is what should be given priority, rather than the secondary relations to social and bodily pleasures which for the most part, dominate our lives, and make the enjoyment of the given, life itself, forgotten). After the Physics, there are 13 smaller works that deal with topics such as the heavens, memory, dreams and youth and old age. These begin to become a precursor for Aristotle's zoological works 'History of Animals', 'Parts of Animals', 'Movement of Animals', 'Progression of Animals' and 'Generation of Animals'. These works are interesting mainly from a historical perspective (hearing Aristotle talk about the flatulence of elephants is intriguing to say the least). Then, you will come to works which many believe to be authentically Aristotle's, 'On Colours', 'On Things Heard' and 'Physiognomics'. With that ends volume one of Aristotle's Complete Works. For the reader who is not disciplined in Philosophy, I would not recommend diving into Aristotle without first finding some gear (i.e., previous philosophical experience) otherwise you will find these Aristotlean waters to be cold and uninviting. You may want to pick up an introductory title to Philosophy, such as The Story of Philosophy, then read Plato's complete works, and then come to this book, and then volume 2 (which should be read by every man, woman and child on this earth.)

Also recommended: Toilet: The Novel by Michael Szymczyk. The Oxford Companion to Philosophy. The Collected Dialouges of Plato. Volume 2 of Aristotle's Complete Works. ... Read more

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Review of Oxford's 'Complete Aristotle: Volume II'
I'm pleased that this book is as complete as it claims to be. Between the two volumes, the readers meets with every aspect of Aristotle's thought, including almost one hundred pages of fragments testimonies.

Unfortunately, I also have several complaints...

a) most of these translations are old - early 20th century old - and this doesn't always make it very easy to read them; they are, if you will, 'classic' translations, but I would have preferred to see Oxford hire a new team of translators to assemble and Aristotle fit for the new century

b) there is very, very little commentary - admittedly, here I compare the complete works of Aristotle to the complete works of Plato, published by Hackett. In Hackett's Plato, there are occasional footnotes to aid the reader's understanding of difficult passages. The Oxford Aristotle only notes paragraphs that were excised in the original translations, and, very, very occasional (10-20 times in the entire library) provides more substantial notes. There aren't even endnotes!

c) there are no introductions to give context to the works - again, I compare with Hackett's Plato. It would have been nice to hear the story behind works of disputed authorship, rather than simply placing a * or ** next to the title of the dialogue. It would also serve to consider how each work relates to the rest of Aristotle's corpus

d) the fragments are poorly arranged. I can see how certain fragments might not specifically reference a certain work, but the editors already arrange them according to the works they supposedly reference - what they don't do is formally divide them as such. Instead, they are placed into general categories.

In summary, what I received from my 8-9 months of Oxford's Aristotle was an incomplete experience. I had hoped to see the best scholarship that money could buy, and instead I met with Jonathan Barne's 'hands-off' tendencies. I respect the idealism of leaving a work to speak for himself, but I also deeply appreciate the guidance of those who have read the Philosopher before me.

Would I buy these books again? Likely, no, I would instead go through the hassle of assembling all of Aristotle's work in smaller collections, finding editions of different works that feature introductions, footnotes and newer translations.

Aristotle is fantastic
This two volume series contains the complete works of Aristotle, which are foundational for philosophy and theology.

The Complete Works of Aristotle Volume 2
The Complete Works of Aristotle Volume 2 edited bu Jonathan Barnes is a continuation of the revised Oxford translation.Aristotle is one of the greatest thinkers in the Western tradition, but also one of the most difficult.

As with the first volume, this translation makes the surviving works of Aristotle easily read for the English-speaking readers.This volume combined with the first makes a comprehesive work.Both volumes are nicely bound and the type is easy to read.Also, the volumes have numerals printed in the outer margins to key the translations to Immanuel Bekker's standard edition of the Greek text of Aristotle of 1831.The index of both editions could use a bit more work as they are cumbersome to work with, but not impossible.

I've found that using "The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle" of great help.This is also edithed by Jonathan Barnes.The contents of volume 2 are as follows:On Plants, On Marvellous Things Heard, Mechanics, Problems On Indivisible Lines, The Situation and Names of Winds, On Melissus,Xenophanes,and Gorgias, Metaphysics, Nicomachean Ethics, Magna Moralia, Eudemian Ethics, On Virtues and Vices, Politics, Economics, Rhetoric, Rhetoric to Alexander, Poetics, Constition of Athens, Fragments.

As with the first voume, this work contains works that the authenticity has been seriously doubted and works that are spurious and have never been seroiusly contested.

The translations are easily read and flow.You can definately understand what Aristotle is trying to say. Both of these volumes make an excellent addition to your home library. ... Read more

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A Paperback Original.

An insightful how-to guide for writing screenplays that uses Aristotle's great work as a guide.

Long considered the bible for storytellers, Aristotle's Poetics is a fixture of college courses on everything from fiction writing to dramatic theory. Now Michael Tierno shows how this great work can be an invaluable resource to screenwriters or anyone interested in studying plot structure. In carefully organized chapters, Tierno breaks down the fundamentals of screenwriting, highlighting particular aspects of Aristotle's work. Then, using examples from some of the best movies ever made, he demonstrates how to apply these ancient insights to modern-day screenwriting. This user-friendly guide covers a multitude of topics, from plotting and subplotting to dialogue and dramatic unity. Writing in a highly readable, informal tone, Tierno makes Aristotle's monumental work accessible to beginners and pros alike in areas such as screenwriting, film theory, fiction, and playwriting. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Good book
Book is a good read. Wish it had used better examples from better films though. Gladiator seems Author's favorite. It has been mentioned throughout the book along with some not-so-popular films.

received well
I received the book very quickly and in very good condition. The book itself is insanely repetitive, but that says more about the author than the seller

John du Prey - Classical Review
Having taught Aristotle's Poetics for many years at the college and university level, it is refreshing to read an "improvised" commentary on this foundational lecture on structural and dramatic theory. It can be a flawed interpretation of the Poetics to dismiss the importance of the sacred 1-2-3 structural patterns in sonnets, dramatic poems, dramatic vignettes, epic poetry, stage plays, screenplays, short-short stories, short stories, novellas, and novels. Aristotle used examples of playwrights and poets, who adhered to these precise breaks. It is almost impossible to find an exception to the rule among the literary classics.

For the record, the Prologue has three parts; Act I, three scenes; Act II, three scenes; Act III, three scenes; and the Epilogue has three parts. There are three dominate parallelisms for professional writers throughout the world: the 1-2, the 1-2-3, and the 1-2-3 & 4. Of these three, the 1-2-3 parallelism or pattern is dominant. To be honest, I never used a commentary on the Poetics when teaching theory and application (from this text); we read directly from the textbook, compared Aristotle's structural theory to the classics in front of us, and pinpointed the breaks; this was done in order to study the ascendancy of the crescendo through the two minor climaxes, right up to the major climax; thus, creating the "moment in time" for the unravelling of the plot into the denouement, followed by the decrescendo (structured within the Epilogue). Artists labor long and hard on that fine-tuned crescendo.

Reference the works of Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles; and the works of Chaucer, Milton, and Shakespeare. Reference the artistic works by poets and writers throughout the Latin-based languages throughout the world (that's 20 languages right there); and that's just for starters. That includes virtually every professional screenplay from 1925 to 1960; their treatments indicated the breaks in the Prologue, Act I, Act II, Act II, and Epilogue with storyboard precision, script delineation, and "blocking" efficiency for the director, the production team, the script supervisor, the producer (who studied the structural breaks in terms of financing the production), so on.

Learning from Aristotle
This book was very informative. It provided detailed examples for each point the author made. If you are interested in the craft of screenplays, I would recommend this book for you.

Prepare yourself for a slow, arduous read -- but, there are some gems for those patient enough to methodically dig through it...
I'm not a screenwriter and have no interest in being one. However, I was hopeful that Tierno's book really WOULD offer "storytelling secrets" that would help me as I work on a project of rewriting the manuscript of my most recent chronological, scholarly, nonfiction book to better incorporate "story arc," "character arc," and/or "ACTION-IDEA" models.

Unfortunately, my need and the aims of Tierno's book just didn't mesh well. The "secrets" conveyed seemed a bit too theoretical to be of practical help. Thus, my manuscript on the collision at sea and sinking of a troopship during World War I that took the lives of more than 400 men is still left "dead in the water."

Instead of an easy read, I found that the only way I could get through Tierno's book was to have the book and my laptop in front of me and, then -- after reading a few paragraphs of his discussion of an excerpt from Aristotles's book -- to then rewrite the concept in my own words. It's slow going and very distracting; so, if you're trying to focus on practical applications for a current project, this isn't the book for you.

Instead, this book is probably best used as a supplemental text for an advanced screenwriting class. A class that can incorporate an exploration of the genius of Aristotle's dramatic philosophy to present-day screenwriting and filmmaking.

It's a narrow niche book, but full of gems for advanced screenwriters with time on their hands to apply Aristotle's ideas to develop their own philosophy of filmmaking. Discussions focus on how to best use the theories to: plot a screenplay; develop the action; lay out the destiny of the main character through reversal of fortune and discovery; and to add a dose of pity and fear to move the audience emotionally through the plot and character arcs to to bring moviegoers to a psychological catharsis.

For film buffs, an additional value of the book is to see Aristotle's theories applied to: "The Godfather"; "Dead Poets Society"; "Rocky"; "American Beauty"; "The Breakfast Club"; "The Terminator"; "Rosemary's Baby"; "Gladiator"; and, "The Blair Witch Project."

R. Neil Scott
Middle Tennessee State University

... Read more

Product Description
The Categories

By

Aristotle

Translated by E. M. Edghill

Section 1

Part 1

Things are said to be named 'equivocally' when, though they have a common name, the definition corresponding with the name differs for each. Thus, a real man and a figure in a picture can both lay claim to the name 'animal'; yet these are equivocally so named, for, though they have a common name, the definition corresponding with the name differs for each. For should any one define in what sense each is an animal, his definition in the one case will be appropriate to that case only. ... Read more

Product Description
The influence of Aristotle, the prince of philosophers, on the intellectual history of the West is second to none.In this book, Jonathan Barnes examines Aristotle's scientific researches, his discoveries in logic and his metaphysical theories, his work in psychology and in ethics and politics, and his ideas about art and poetry, placing his teachings in their historical context. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

An Approachable Introduction to The Philosopher
This informative introduction to Aristotle is bursting with interesting facts and provides a nice summary of Aristotle's works with a very good description of Aristotle's emphasis on teleology.

The author is very fond of Aristotle and refers to him repeatedly as a "philosophical scientist"(p. 35) and never ceases attempting to wrap Aristotle in a lab-coat. I sensed however, that this emphasis on Aristotle as empiricist undercut Aristotle's lasting contribution as a realist philosopher and reveals Barnes' subtle anti-ontological slant that pervades the book.

This is such a pity, because when Barnes suggests that "Aristotle ought to have taken scepticism more seriously"(p. 96) he undermines the means Aristotle uses to defend objective knowledge in the Metaphysics, which Barnes views as an "obscure work" (p. 64).

I was impressed to see some coverage of the Meterologica and On the Heavens although Barnes excludes examples that clearly show that Aristotle fails to live to his dictum that"observation always has priority over theory". (p. 113) Aristotle hardly had observation in mind when he states in 'On the Heavens (273b)' that a body with twice the mass of another will fall twice as fast.

It would also have been helpful had Barnes explored the influence of Socrates and paganism on Aristotle's writings. Had Barnes done so he may have found the answer to his question "why did Aristotle not develop a decent chemistry or an adequate physics?" (p. 110) That for Aristotle, the "objects of astronomy are not perishable but eternal" (p. 57) may provide a clue towards the answer.

These minor criticisms aside, Barnes has written a worthy treatise on The Philosopher and should whet one's appetite for further reading.

Further Reading:
Aristotle for Everybody - Adler was Aristotle's most articulate and passionate spokesman in recent times.

An Introduction to Philosophy: The Perennial Principles of the Classical Realist Tradition - A compact introduction to realist philosophy from an Aristotelian-Thomist viewpoint.

Means to Message: A Treatise on Truth - A Systematic Approach to Philosophy from Aristotelian Realist stance, suitable for the enthusiastic layman.

From Aristotle to Darwin & Back Again - A Masterful study of the role of teleology and purpose by the 20th century's greatest Thomist, Etienne Gilson.

A very good short introduction
This was an enjoyable and very readable view of Aristotle.I think this book captures the spirit of the Very Short Introduction series.It can whet your appetite to do more research on Aristotle.If not, you still feel like you have a good overall look on Aristotle's life and teachings.

When the wording is overly technical the author gives a simple example to help the reader understand the concept.

Review of Barne's Very Short Introduction to Aristotle
I read this as an introduction to Barnes' translation of the 'Complete Works of Aristotle'. Oddly, neither of the volumes contains an adequate biographical or thematical introduction to Aristotle, so it was nice to find that Barnes had written one in another venture.

Barnes, in my experience, always maintains a detached, fair-handed position as a scholar, which is very helpful.

This book is generally lucid and approachable. It is not especially interesting or witty, but I feel it would be foolish to expect such from Aristotle. Serving perfectly as an introduction to Barnes' Complete Aristotle, this work looks at the philosopher's biography, his relation to Plato, and the structure of his outlook.

There is honestly little on Aristotelian theory itself, and more on the nature of Aristotle's work. There is more of "Aristotle tends to speak about things this way" and less "This is what Aristotle says." I do not feel this is s stand-alone primer on Aristotle. It should be followed by a reading of Aristotle. This worked wonderfully for me, but I don't feel it serves the purpose of this work's usual reader.

I have a few other criticisims. Barnes writes his biography backwords, begining with Aristotle in old age and moving toward his youth; this was difficult to take notes on. Also, there is little on the legacy of Aristotle in the middle ages, on the transmission of his work and the gravity of his theories.

Overall, this would have worked well as an attached introduction to Barnes' Complete Aristotle, but as a stand-alone book, it feels a bit weak.

An outstanding introduction to and evaluation of Aristotle
Barnes tells the story of Aristotle's life briefly,and then discusses his contributions in various areas of intellectual life. The first and great impulse of Aristotle is the desire to know and Barnes makes it clear how Aristotle for over one- thousand years was ' the master of all those who know'. He seemed to take interest in every area of study, and his researches in the physical world were for centuries at the forefront of human knowledge. Barnes makes it clear that the Aristotelian view of the world scientifically was ' exploded' by the scientific revolution. No one teaches Aristotle's biology or physics today, and no one uses his methods. On the other hand in other areas, such as ethics and aesthetics his ideas still have a power and voice. The love of knowledge in Aristotle as Barnes makes clear was combined with his understanding of the human being as ' social animals'. Therefore no matter how high a value he placed on the contemplative life ( and this as the key to eudaemonia or happiness in Aristotle's thought) he understand the social, and political aspect of life as human necessity. Barnes outlines Aristotle's political theory, his perhaps too optimistic a view of the role of the state, his exclusion of whole human groups which we today consider rightfully entitled to participate in the ruling of society.
Barnes too makes an interesting analysis of the written style of Aristotle's work, taking it to be dry, factual, and without the poetic and imaginative elegance of Aristotle's great teacher, Plato. He shows how for Aristotle the chief value is in the transmitting of knowledge and that language is thus treated not as an end in itself, but as instrument.
One cannot help noting the great irony in Aristotle's story. He who loved knowledge so much and was so devoted to its accumulation and dissemination, nonetheless fostered countless misconceptions. There are many who believe his Physics held Mankind back for generations.
Nonetheless taken all in all , aside from his enormous historical role, Aristotle stands as a figure a great example of one fundamental human value , the quest for and love of knowledge and learning.
Barnes makes it clear that we have much to learn from him still.

Informative but dull
Barnes tries to give a unified presentation of Aristotle's work, but his method of quoting often from Aristotle's work makes the writing seem choppy. The reader does understand that reading Aristotle's work is even more unpleasant than reading this book. A better example of a short introduction that is done successfully is "Plato" by R.M. Hare, also from Oxford U. Press. I have no quarrel with the quality of the content in the book by Jonathan Barnes, just the organization that makes Aristotle's work seem disjointed and the presentation that makes the book dull.

So many philosophy books only touch the mind, not our lives. For books that touch your life I recommend "Socrates Cafe" by Christopher Phillips, although it was written to follow contemporary publishers formulas."Achieve Lasting Happiness" by Robert Canright does not follow formulas.It is unique, but it does not follow the Greek traditions.It follows Chinese traditions, but Canright shows the Ancient Chinese had much in common with Aristotle. ... Read more

Product Description
This new collection of Aristotle's political writings provides the student with all the necessary materials for a full understanding of his work as a political scientist. In addition to a revised and extended introduction, this expanded Cambridge Texts edition contains an extensive guide to further reading and an index of names with biographical notes. Presentation of The Politics and The Constitution of Athens in a single volume will make this the most attractive and convenient student edition of these seminal works currently available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent Transaction
The book arrived in a timely manner and in the condition advertised. I would do business with this vendor again.

If You Don't Want To Live In A State, You Are Either A God Or A Beast
I read this book for a graduate seminar on Aristotle.Politics is one of Aristotle's most prescient works that had a profound impact on our Founding fathers.

Nicomachean Ethics (EN) is part of political knowledge.Politics regulates when virtue does not.Laws are created for people who are not virtuous.Polis= "city or state."Humans live in society, so virtue ethics is not just for individual living, community is a shared project for the good.Aristotle starts with his method, a phenomenological attitude.He starts with pairs, male and female, builds up to ruler and subject, master and slave as a natural relationship, the 1st social community thus is the household.Household is an economic relationship and has monarchy of patriarch.Villages are a collection of households with a king.Then you have a Polis, a fulfilled complete community formed from several villages.Self-sufficiency is the mark of a Polis.An organized social relationship is Polis and a reason is being able to take care of needs of life and promote living well.Only in a Polis can you have art, philosophy, etc.All these are actualized in a Polis.Politics is natural to human life.We are meant to be social.According to Aristotle, "If you don't want to live in a state you are either a God or a beast."

Logos= "rationality or language" is what helps us to be political animals.Rational language expands capacity in human life.Since Aristotle thinks the Polis has a telos or an end then the Polis as potential comes even before the household.This is similar to the acorn having the telos to become a mighty oak tree.Politics completes the human condition for Aristotle.Need a Polis to develop other human capacities.

Aristotle's hierarchy.Slaves are a living tool for Aristotle.Aristotle argues that some people are meant to be slaves right from birth."Born to be ruled."Slavish person does not have enough rationality to rule themselves.Aristotle says not every form of actual enslavement is justified according to him.He justifies the human use of animals as a natural act.

Aristotle now wants to find what kind of government is best.In a Polis citizens have things in common.Aristotle criticizes Plato's Republic, he finds it to be overly controlling.Socrates says the soul has 3 aspects and so does the Polis.The Soul has:

1. Reason
2. Passion
3. Appetite
The Polis has:
1. Philosopher King.
2. Guardians, (military).
3. Commoners.

Both are a hierarchal ordering.Socrates and Plato talk about the state holding all property in common.This includes the state raising children after birth instead of the parents, thus there will be no family clans trying to better themselves over their neighbors.Aristotle criticizes this idea.Aristotle says a Polis is a plurality of people thus people are not all the same and a Polis must accommodate differences in people, which actually makes a Polis better.Aristotle criticizes Socrates and Plato's idea of a Polis needing to have "unity" of people.This is a contrast to the Polis of Sparta.Aristotle says the best way to integrate citizens to the Polis is to allow them taking turns in ruling it.Aristotle believes that holding property or rearing of children in common as in the Republic is wrong no one really loves children like their own and communal property never gets really taken care of.Love is diminished the less nuclear family we are.
Aristotle says you need a mix of private and public property.Thus, the best kind of Polis is a combination of a governing element.Aristotle affirms a constitutional democracy or Polity.A citizen participates in government by definition for Aristotle.

Comparison of virtue and the good citizen.Excellence of virtuous man not the same as a good citizen.There will be few virtuous men, but good citizens just have to follow the law.Aristotle says good political virtue and good moral virtue don't have to go together."Living finely then most of all is the goal of the city."

Aristotle classifies 3 types of government which occur naturally in nature and 3 types of deteriorations of those governments, they are:

1. "Monarchy," rule by one man a king, this is a top down rule.The deterioration is a "Tyranny," who is a ruler who rules for his own benefit.
2. "Aristocracy," rule by the best few men in the Polis, also this is a top down rule.The deterioration is an "oligarchy,' which he defines as rule of the rich who want to perpetuate themselves.
3. "Polity," All citizens participate in government with a constitution set above them to guide them instead of a king or aristocracy.The deterioration is a "democracy or what today we call mob rule or tyranny of the majority.He calls it rule of the poor.

Aristotle does a good job of looking at states and how they can be corrupted.Aristotle's concept of political justice and what is the best concept.What does justice mean?Not necessarily equality for all.Not all people are equal.He implies sometimes it is unjust to treat people equally.Justice is not necessarily equality for all; sometimes it would be unjust to treat all people equally.Politics is rated high by Aristotle as a human good.Education is a central feature of political life for Aristotle."But we must find the relevant respect of equality or inequality; for this question raises a puzzle that concerns political philosophy."First, because someone is unequal on hierarchy that means better than others like more virtuous.This is like "distributive justice" who gets what goods.Do you give the best flute to the best flute player which is based on merit or to the richest or best looking person?Aristotle says inequality should tip towards those who earn it on merit.His concept of equality and inequality is based on merit.Another philosopher coined a famous formula for this based on Relevant Respect:

P= Person, Q= Quality, C= Context.
It would be just to treat P1 + P2 equally or unequally if P1 + P2 are equal or unequal in Q (quality) relevant to C (content).This is a formula on how to treat people relevant to goods.This is context dependent.Allot of empirical work to be done before we use the formula.

People who fight wars control politics in the Polis.The more people who have weapons in a civilian army is a guarantee that a small group of people will not take control of the government and democracy grows, like our 2nd amendment, this is a historical perspective of the idea that works.
Democracy spreads power to citizens a bottom up structure.Expertise in relation to politics.Many professions we tend to defer to the experts for judgment, physicians, lawyers, etc.Plato's Republic does this with his advocacy of Philosopher king running government.Aristotle says the judgment of the many combined as acting as one is better then a monarch or a few wise men to run the government.In principle, pooling of multiple people to run Polis is good.Politics by nature is a communal effort so you should use all the people's expertise.Aristotle is against letting experts running the Polis they are not always the best of judges.The best judge of the function of a house is the owner, not the builder.In addition, Aristotle says there may not really be any such thing as a political expert, like a philosopher king.Aristotle advocates for a constitutional democracy a written set of laws to protect Polis from a tyranny of the majority."Law is reason unaffected by desire."A government of laws not men.A living being as the last word is not good.

Role of education in politics.Politics is coming together to foster human development and happiness for community, citizens, and improving human life like education.Aristotle says it should be public education.

I recommend Aristotle's works to anyone interested in obtaining a classical education, and those interested in philosophy.Aristotle is one of the most important philosophers and the standard that all others must be judged by.

Aristotle's 'Politics' still essential
The Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle possessed one of the most remarkable intellects of all time.He contributed to the body of knowledge in areas as diverse as logic and biology, ethics and physics, psychologyand politics.Although his work 'The Politics' has been widely published,few versions have been as effective as this in placing his politicalcommentary into the conext of his time.Certainly this contextualisationis this edition's greatest strength, and the feature which most clearlysets it apart from most other currently availabletranslations.

'ThePolitics' remains an essential feature in the literature of politics andphilosophy.Whether the reader is a first year political science studentor a senior lecturer seeking to replace that well-worn second (or third)copy of an earlier edition, the particular book will be the ideal choice. ... Read more

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This text, translated by Rhys Roberts and Ingram Bywater, contains an introduction by Edward P.J. Corbett. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Capacity of Persuasion
I read these works for a graduate seminar on Aristotle.
Definition of Rhetoric- capacity of persuasion.Plato is critical of the Rhetoric and the tragic poetry.Rhetoric is approach to political public speeches in the forum.Plato thought that they clouded the mind and thus created a part of his critique of democracy in general.Plato thinks Socrates was killed by rhetoric used by the Athenian democracy.Plato feared the danger of democracy.Poetry appeals to the base human emotions rhetoric, and poetry block rational truth according to Plato.Rhetoric is psychological force of language vs. logical force of language.Psychology leads people to believe things based on emotions.Speech must appeal to the masses in a democracy.Psychology is persuasion, logic is truth.Deduction and induction is arguing logically.Plato says rhetoric is not a technç, (craft) nor is poetry, because they are undisciplined and not uniform in design.Thus, appeal to psychology and emotion can never be done away with in a democracy, thus Plato abhors them and democracy.Plato calls it sophistry this psychological appeal and democracy requires this to exist, so the problem persists.Plato is clear and consistent in his abhorrence of sophistry and democracy.

Aristotle's Rhetoric and Poetics are an alternative to Plato.Aristotle's rhetoric tries to strike a middle position.Aristotle says rhetoric and poetry are a technç, the Rhetoric is a handbook.Aristotle says speaker needs to appeal to appropriate information for the particular setting.Much like a lawyer's argument, not just relying on facts, need to appeal to people's emotions.Aristotle does understand that rhetoric can be used in a harmful way.

Aristotle lays out three features in rhetoric:

1. Ethos= character of the speaker, also charisma, speaker earns the audience's trust, use of body language.
2. Pathos= condition of the hearer.
3. Logos= essential bearing on political persuasion, truth.

Thus, Plato's concern by definition excludes speech because it deals with emotion.These three conditions must be in play for a speech to be successful.The rhetoric contains a detailed analysis of the different human emotions and how to elicit them in a speech.Aristotle knows the speaker must be a good student of human nature to tap into human emotions.

Epistçmç is scientific knowledge.Phronçsis is the capacity of the soul for using education, experience and habit all this is in the ethics.This is the same in political world so politics is not an episteme no scientific reasoning.The things that come up in politics are not deduced scientifically.In politics, humans use deliberation between several possible outcomes unlike math where there is only one correct answer.Political speech is contentious because the nature of politics is contentious.

There are two circumstances in rhetoric.

1. Judicial rhetoric has to do with the past like in a court case.
2. Deliberative rhetoric has to do with the future, what decision should we make in political policies.

The Poetics

Poetry appeals to human passions and emotions.Powerful beautiful language and metaphor really appeal to emotion.This idea really disturbed Plato, who takes on Homer in the Republic.Plato thought that early Greek poetry portrays a dark world; humans are checked by negative limits like death.Tragedy has in it a character of high status brought down through no fault of his own.Plato says this is unjust.Republic is about ethical life and justice.It starts with the premises that might makes right and then moves onto the idea much like modern religions that justice comes in the afterlife.Plato hates the idea that in tragedy bad things can happen to good people.He wanted to ban tragedy because he found it demoralizing.

Aristotle's Poetics is a defense against Plato's appeal to ban tragedy.Tragedy was very popular in Greek world so Aristotle asks can it be wrong to ban it?Yes, it is wrong thus he decides to study it.Plato says Poetry is not a technç because the poets are divinely inspired.Aristotle disagrees Poetics is a handbook for playwrights.Mimçsis= "representation or imitation."Plato uses it in speaking of painting, thus art is imitation.Another meaning is to mimic, like actors mimicking another person.Plato and Aristotle use it to mean psychological identification like how we get absorbed in a movie as if the action were real, eliciting emotions from us.We suspend reality for a while.Aristotle says this is natural in humans; we do this as children, we mimic.If imitation is important for humans then tragic poetry is worthwhile for Aristotle to study.

Definition of tragedy- "Through pity and fear it achieves purification from such feelings.This is a famous controversial line.Katharsis= "pity and fear" thus the purpose of tragedy is to purge katharsis.Katharsis can also mean purification or clean.There is a debate if it means clarification, through which we can come to understand katharsis.Aristotle thinks tragedy teaches us something about life.Tragedy is an elaboration on Aristotle's idea that good or virtuous people sometimes get unlucky and in the end, they get screwed.Tragedy shows this so we can learn to get by when life screws us.The whole point of tragedy is action over character.Action is the full story of the poem like the Iliad.Character is only part of the action.
Aristotle distinguishes between poetry and history.Poetry is concerned with universals, history is concerned with particulars.

I recommend Aristotle's works to anyone interested in obtaining a classical education, and those interested in philosophy.Aristotle is one of the most important philosophers and the standard that all others must be judged by.
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Customer Reviews (41)

A lackluster sequel.
This is a sequel of sorts toPlato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar . . .: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes. While that book attempted to teach philosophy with jokes, this book examines the philosophical underpinnings of political rhetoric, or rather, the logical errors inherent in most of it.

My biggest issue with this book, besides it simply not being as funny as its predecessor, is that while the authors try to pretend that they're being objective, there's a very heavy emphasis throughout the book on singling out Republicans. Oh, there are some token Democratic examples taken -- one of the first quotes in the book is from California Senator Barbara Boxer -- but most of the quotes selected for dissection come from George W. Bush, his administration, or his most avid supporters in the media and in Congress. Mind you, I'm not a fan of any of these people, but it doesn't sit well with me that the authors focus disproportionately on one party. One could, I suppose, make the argument that Republicans make more logically questionable statements than Democrats, but although I might like to believe that, I doubt it's actually true.

Furthermore, most of the quotes referenced in the book, when not from the Bush Administration, are from the 2008 Presidential campaign. Even in September of 2010, this really dates the book. To me, it would've made more sense for them to focus on historical statements from major political figures of past decades, like Reagan, Kennedy, Goldwater, Roosevelt, McCarthy, etc. Not only would this have given it a broader feel, but it would mean getting away from recent politics (which people are going to feel very strongly about, one way or another) and instead allow readers to examine statements of past politicians with a more objective eye.

But instead we got jokes about Dubya's IQ. Hardee har har.

Obama and a grizzly bear go to Washington
While the first book in this series was a real eye opener on philosophy, with great jokes to go along - a very popular toilet literature for the guests of my household, the book on philosophy and politics should have had a big warning for anyone who wished to purchase it "Carefull, only adecuate for the American market", because if you come from any other country, you won't understand the jokes or half the other things mentioned there about politics. In short, it put me right to sleep.

Aristotle And An Aardvark Go To Washington
I received a copy of another Cathart and Klein novel "Plato and a Platypus Walk In To a Bar" for my 80th birthday. It was so good, I bought "Aristotle and an Aardvark Go to Washington"It was so good, I bought "Heidegger and a Hippo Walk Through the Pearly Gates." It was so good, I cried because there aint no more!

A worthy effort
As with Plato & Platypus, this team does a fine job of puncturing some of the bloated windbags of US politics, using a combination of thoughtful analysis and wry humor. They pick admittedly well-known inanities to analyze - a choice that seems sound, since famous speakers make the points most clearly, and famous phrases reduce the "Huh? Where'd that come from?" response that obscure quotes or issues would tend to elicit.

The specific quotations aren't the point of this book, so don't try to treat it as a catalog of political quasi-deception. Well-known politicisms work as well as fodder for analysis as any other, but let the authors just directly into their descriptions of the flaws in the pols' so-called reasoning. And, in signature style, they illustrate each bit of manipulative and self-serving nonsense with jokes that usually amuse at least as much as they instruct - but, I have to admit, for real guffaws, the original quotes from politicos often beat out even a good gag. The only real problem with this book, noted by other reviewers, is that politics offers many targets, but they change with every election. More reliance on older sources would have given this book value that endures longer than the sources' terms in office.

-- wiredweird

On Aristotle and an Aardvark
This book arrived in great condition as the seller indicated. I haven't had a change to read it yet, but if it is anything like Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar, I am sure I won't be dissapointed. ... Read more

Product Description
Aristotle is one of the greatest thinkers in the Western tradition, but also one of the most difficult. The contributors to this volume do not attempt to disguise the nature of that difficulty, but at the same time they offer a clear exposition of the central philosophical concerns in his work. Approaches and methods vary and the volume editor has not imposed any single interpretation, but has rather allowed differences of interpretation to stand. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

I appreciate Robin Smith's work here
I really appreciate Robin Smith's summary. I find that Barnes, who wrote several sections, comments negatively (pointing out what he thinks are flaws) in the midst of what I think should be summary. I really think he should share commentary after he shares a summary. Also, I don't find Barnes to offer a balanced view, but an overly-negative one. His work on Aristotle's Rhetoric, for example, finds all kinds of things he doesn't like, but does not acknowledge the fantastically useful stuff.

Again, I find Robin Smith's work useful and dispassionate, and I thank the cambridge companion for making me aware of him; I have since picked up his translation of Topics (Books 1 & 8) and his translation of Prior Analytics.

See what Aristotle would be like today
A great book, but Johnathan Barnes, the editor, must be the living embodiment of Aristotle's philosophy: Lean, uncompromising yet humorously and unknowingly pompous in the extreme.Please Please read his introduction. It reminds me of my college days when we were all so insufferable know-it-alls.

Again, if you want to see Aristotle live and breathe, get this book

Philosophy of Aristotle?This is the best introduction
This is the best introduction to one of the most - if not the most - important philosophers in human history.

Aristotle's body of work is extremely wide-ranging as well as dense in detail, and often extremely complex and subtle.This Cambridge Companion simplifies and explains - without the loss of fidelity to the complex and subtle and innovative nature of his teachings - the most important of his teachings.

This Cambridge Companion to Aristotle has essays by preeminent scholars in the field.The book focuses on the most important and influential of Aristotle's philosophical thinking.

It includes essays on Aristotle's logic, metaphysics, ethics, philosophy of science and science generally, and psychology, poetics, rhetoric, and politics.These are the core subjects in Aristotle's canon.It is generally believed among scholars that most all of the work of Aristotle that has survived and come down to us today, consists of copies of lecture notes that his students took at his school (known as the Lyceum).Thus, much of his "writings" - though copied for generations and then edited by translators - often seems disjointed or unnecessarily complex in terms of its clarity and organization.

If you are new to studying philosophy, I suggest you start with this Cambridge Companion or the one on Plato.If you start with the one on Aristotle, I suggest you read this Companion and then either at the same time or right after, begin reading the primary texts.You can read all the secondary and ancillary texts you want on philosophers and philosophy, but they are never a substitute for the primary texts.The primary texts are infinitely more rewarding, provided you are able to understand them - and that is where guides like this one come in hand.

To start off on some of his most readable and understandable works (yet still highly important), I suggest you start with poetics (which is about the construction of and study of drama and story (think "plays" or stories like the Illiad by Homer), and narrative structure.What we have of poetics is short, excellent, and is generally believed to be only one part of a larger teaching that has been lost to humanity.I then suggest you read Aristotle's Rhetoric and then Politics.These are easy to understand, but you will gain tremendously by re-reading them over time in greater detail.You can then move on to his Logic (which Aristotle is known as the founder of logic, he invented, or depending on your view, discovered, the tri-partite syllogism and syllogistic structure and logical argument.You can then move on to his Metaphysics, but I suggest that you read and study Plato before embarking on Aristotle's Metaphysics, as you will understand Aristotle better by first reading Plato, as Aristotle was a student of Plato, and Aristotle's Metaphysics takes into account, is a reaction to, and is an extension and modification (or overturning of most aspects- depending on your viewpoint), of Plato's metaphysics (Plato's Ideas vs. Aristotle's Universals).The Cambridge Companion to Plato is also excellent.If you are embarking on a serious study of philosophy for the first time, you may want to read Plato and the Cambridge Companion to Plato before embarking on Aristotle.You will understand Aristotle better if you understand Plato's works first.These are the two most important philosophers in Western civilization, and in my view - and depending on your viewpoint - world history and civilization.

In any event I highly recommend this Cambridge Companion to Aristotle.This is the first one I purchased and read, and I have subsequently enjoyed and found extremely useful other Cambridge Companions for other philosophers.

The Cream of the Companion Series
The 'Cambridge Companion' to philosophy series has put out some great products. In my opinion this may be the best. Absolutely splendid articles that help the reader understand Aristotle rather than some philosopher's interpretation of him. For such a polymath as Aristotle, the authors did a good job of focusing on key facets of his philosopy that adequately prepare and stimulate the reader to investigate other of Aristotle's writings, which the Companion could not cover for lack of space. The bibliography and subject guides to the secondary liturature are well done.

The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle
The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle edited by Jonathan Barnes is a is an excellent book.If you are studing Aristotle or just reading him, you've probably gritted your teeth and started to put the reading down for later.Being that most of us do NOT read Greek, we rely on someone who can and the translations do vary.We also need a way to study and a plan to organize our reading in a logical manner.

This book is an excellent choice for that purpose.This book helps to alleviate some of the fears one has in reading a great thinker who is not only difficult and challenging but also complex.The content of this book are as follows:Logic, Metaphysics, Philosophy of Science, Science, Psychology, Ethics, Politics, Rhetoric and poetics.There is an introduction and a suggestions for reading section which are invaluable and help the reader to understand and comprehend what is trying to be said.

If you need help with Aristotle... look no further than this book to help you get organized and to better understand Aristotle.Approach and methods vary from person to person, but if someone has proceeded you in understanding it is prudent to follow those footsteps... then make your interpretation.

The editor has written an excellent chapter on Metaphysics.Metaphysics is one of Aristotle's most difficult books to understand.Here the editor helps the reader to understand it and also how to read Aristotle with a logical approach.

Remember the best aid to reading Aristotle is Aristotle himself.Aristotle is difficult so read him slowly, very slowly, then he is inspiring and gripping. But, it helps to have someone to rely on and this book will help. ... Read more

Product Description
Europe was in the long slumber of the Middle Ages, the Roman Empire was in tatters, and the Greek language was all but forgotten, until a group of twelfth-century scholars rediscovered and translated the works of Aristotle. His ideas spread like wildfire across Europe, offering the scientific view that the natural world, including the soul of man, was a proper subject of study. The rediscovery of these ancient ideas sparked riots and heresy trials, caused major upheavals in the Catholic Church, and also set the stage for today's rift between reason and religion.

In Aristotle's Children, Richard Rubenstein transports us back in history, rendering the controversies of the Middle Ages lively and accessible-and allowing us to understand the philosophical ideas that are fundamental to modern thought.


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Customer Reviews (43)

How Aristotle shaped, and still shapes, our world.
"Aristotle's Children" provides the reader with an interesting blend of philosophy and history.Author Richard E. Rubenstein follows the European rediscovery and study of Aristotle's writings beginning in Reconquered Spain and continuing into modern times.As the reader goes through this book he or she is introduced to a succession of philosophers who studied Aristotle's teachings and applied them to the problems and thought of their days.We are introduced to the blend of Christianity, Judaism and Islam which transmitted the works that shaped Christendom in later centuries.Names that we recognize we begin to know, and understand their relationships to one another.Boethius, Sts. Anselm, Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure and Roger Bacon are just a few who we meet along this journey.This book explains how the teachings of Aristotle were used to define and shape the interplay between faith and reason, philosophy and science.At the end, Rubenstein suggests a role that a proper appreciation of Aristotle could enrich our world today.

Although this book deals with philosophical thought, it is easy to follow, at least enough to obtain a better understanding of the importance of this philosophy in our world and to our own thoughts.Although philosophy is not a major interest of mine, this book has given me a better understanding of how it has affected the world view into which we were born and grow.I recommend it for anyone who ever ponders why our culture has developed the way it has and where it is likely to be going.

Interesting but not enough
I thought this book to be more of lucid details of the individuals that worked on inspiring the Aristotle's ideas.However, this book is heavy on explaining Aristotelean concepts.

Aristotle's Children
This is an excellent book -- recommended for anyone interested in Greek philosophy and how it influenced Western thought. It is written in a style that keeps you involved. Usually, books about philosophy can be very dry. But this one is different. The author shows how Aristotle's teachings were preserved by the Muslim scholars for centuries and then translated into Latin so they became a major topic for debate in the 12th and 13th centuries among Christian scholars. I would recommend it to Christians, Muslims and Jews (the author is a Jew) who want to read an objective description of how Aristotle lives in Western thought today.

Aristotle reused, Renaissance ignited
I finish off a thread about the Dark Ages by reading about how the rediscovery and reinvention of Aristotle helped end them by stirring political, scientific and religious thinkers in more "modern" directions.

One of the keys to the explosion was that Aristotle was rediscovered not in isolation, but in conjunction with hundreds of years of commentary by Muslim philosophers and theologians, so that Aristotle arrived not as revealed truth, but as potentially reusable tools for European thinkers.

And reuse him they did, to the betterment of history.Rubenstein shows how his ideas let to scientific inquiry in conjunction with (not opposition to) theological study through the 1200 and 1300's.The modern imagined "war" between reason and religion didn't come from this period, but in fact this period allowed each to grow, giving rise to the coming Renaissance and Enlightenment periods.

Misleading
I had purchased this book with great anticipation. I was no stranger to reading Mr. Rubenstein. However, I was more let down by this book than by his other works.
I had found it difficult to understand how a professor of conflict resolution and public affairs can feel he is authoritative enough to write books on history and theology, but then as I read it became clearer.
To start with the title of this book is misleading. While it is true that you should never judge a book by it's cover, one must weigh judgment of the cover by it's contents.
"How Christians, Muslims, and Jews rediscovered ancient wisdom and illuminated the Middle Ages." Ok, I am not an expect on this time period, so I was expecting to dive into this book with the expectation of coming out with knowing something I didn't know before. But, at the same time, I was under the impression that Muslims and Jews never lost the knowledge of the Classical era, and so had no need to "rediscover" it. I guess my impression was right because almost the entire book speaks of how the Christians rediscovered Aristotle's works from Jews and Muslims in 12th century Spain. Other than a few very brief references to Maimonides and Averroes, all other personages in this book are exclusively Christian.
Next, I was unaware that the Middle Ages were illuminated. By definition, the Middle Ages is the period between periods of illumination, hence "Middle Ages". So, again, I thought I might learn something that maybe I didn't know before. Again I was let down. The history of re-introducing Aristotle's work into Christian Europe during the Middle Ages was hardly illuminating, rather it is a chronology of violence, ignorance, intolerance, censorship, and intellectual depression amidst rampant superstition. Granted, from the 12th century on, we begin to see more people willing to think for themselves, as opposed to be told what to think, but they were baby steps. Aquinas, Ockham, Bonaventure and the others strived more to please the status quo with their new philosophies. I don't blame them, they liked to live as anyone does, so whatever they thought necessarily had to be watered down to succor the ruling theocracy of the time. These Medieval philosophers did not illuminate the Middle Ages, they were pioneers which would help illuminate a future age. Relatedly, on the back cover it is said that an intellectual explosion happened in the late Middle Ages that transformed Europe. Again, please Mr. Rubenstein, explain how four universities (Oxford, Paris, Padua, Bologne), which were under constant threat of censorship, excommunication, and being shut down, and a handful of radical thinkers (BTW-Middle age radical thinkers would equate to modern right-wing religious zealots) amidst a sea of an illiterate, superstitious, and ignorant population, can constitute an intellectual explosion, comparable to the 6th century BCE Ionian explosian of Ancient Greece or 18th century Western civilization.
Next I will point out random passages in the book that I have a bone to pick with. There are numerous passages, but I will focus on just a couple. On p.227, Mr. Rubenstein talks about Thomas Aquinas. He mentions how he had some mystical and supernatural experiences in which he communicates with Jesus and leviates, all seen by witnesses. This and other passages like it are worthless to me unless they are backed by source references. Otherwise, it is just a neat story passed by oral tradition in which the author got a warm and fuzzy feeling from, and so decided to insert it in his book.
Lastly, is this passage from p.251:
"If he wished, God could retroactively unmake everything that he has made, as well as make a human embryo into a fish or a flower."
The author may be passing this statement off as the way a medieval mind thought, or is he? Is this the belief of the author? Surely not, but how well did people have a grasp on biology in the Middle Ages, was "embryo" a household term as it is today? Let's continue the next sentence in the book, which is in the author's parentheses.
(This is not entirely theoretical, of course, since he has made miracles, as well as creating a universe from nothing.)
Once again, if anyone has an elementary understanding of the Middle Ages, then they know it was completely ruled by a superstitious, supernatural belief in a god. Is it necessary to reiterate it, or is this the author's stated belief?
If it is (which I hope is not the case), then this is the type of history in which I hope people will steer away from. The kind which is propagandistic, biased, and motivated by an agenda, in other words not true accurate history at all, but the author's personal perception of history. ... Read more