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 (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
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
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 (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.

... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Very usable and useful
This volume contains a well-chosen selection of Aristotle's works. As another reviewer suggests, this book is a welcome middle ground between 'pocket' editions and a full blown Oxford edition.

The translations (though I am by no means a scholar of Greek) seem to be quite proper, and despite the fact that different sections may be translated by different people, there is no apparent unevenness.

Ackrill laments in the introduction that it would have been more proper to leave about 30-40 Greek words (such as 'logos', 'aitia', 'ousia') untranslated, since no single English word does them justice. But that since there aretranslations by several people involved, that was not possible.

All in all, this would be a very handy book for anyone interested in Aristotle.

An Excellent Compendium
For students who desire neither the whole Oxford corpus or who need a more condensed version of the Oxford translation, this edition, edited by the renowned Aristotlean scholar Ackrill, will be pleasantly kept in good company.

I own both books, and oddly find myself picking up this volume rather than the two-volume set, for easy reference. All the essential material is here, and none of the important elements are injudiciously edited. Thus for a single volume, it does double duty -- providing the most current translation of Aristotle, while appropriately editing the most salient parts for the specialist and non-specialist alike.

The book is appropriate for undergraduate and graduate semester courses as a complete enough text for either venue. It also has a nice topical index in the back that refers the reader to many essays written in the scondary literature. ... Read more

Product Description

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

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

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

Product Description
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
Since its hardcover publication in 1997, If Aristotle Ran General Motors has been one of the year's most talked about books, not only in the United States but around the world, where it has been translated into many languages. Author Tom Morris has emerged as one of America's most popular motivational speakers, bringing his inspirational message of ancient wisdom in modern business to thousands of employees at major companies like AT&T and Merrill Lynch. In 1998 Morris will give more than 100 keynote speeches at corporate seminars to further establish If Aristotle Ran General Motors as a must-read for anyone doing business today.
Amazon.com Review
Philosophy purists take note: yes, this is a business self-help book. But Tom Morris has plenty of philosophical street credibility: after getting his Ph.D. from Yale, he taught for 15 years at the University of Notre Dame (where stunts like bringing the ND marching band to class for an impromptu "pep rally" before a big test made him one of the most popular professors on campus). And Morris isn't dumbing down his message for the corporate culture. Rather, he's genuinely interested in fostering a workplace environment where one can seriously think about truth, beauty, goodness, and unity. "If we let the great philosophers guide our thinking," he says, "and if we then begin to become philosophers ourselves, we put ourselves in the very best position to move towards genuine excellence, true prosperity, and deeply satisfying success in our businesses, our families, and our lives. Why should we settle for anything less?" Why indeed? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Philosophy for everyone
This book is not intended for the professional philosopher but for those in the business world who have an interest in business ethics. It would be quite useful as a text for kicking off an undergraduate business ethics course. Morris takes a different approach than one might expect when addressing the foundations of business ethics and excellence. Rather than focusing on rules, compliance, and the like, he places the soul of business in the context of a good life in general. He offers the idea that the foundations for sustainable excellence in business are the same as the foundations for excellence in life:truth, beauty, goodness, and unity, which correspond to four dimensions of human experience- intellectual, aesthetic, moral, and spiritual.

Truth is the foundation of trust in all of life, including the life of business. Pragmatically speaking, an atmosphere of trust will actually increase efficiency in the workplace, given the amount of time and energy wasted by gossip, rumor, and speculation. An environment with respect for the truth should contain respect for people as well. Given this, the truth must be handled in a manner consistent with beauty, goodness, and unity.

Beauty is important in part because it liberates, refreshes, restores, and inspires us. If we surround ourselves with beauty, and are attentive to its presence in our work, this can foster excellence. For Morris, the best businesses are those that are beautiful structures in which human beings can work, grow, and flourish.

Goodness is about living well, to the fullness of our capabilities. Ethical living is not restrictive or constraining, but fosters fulfillment. In any corporate human endeavor, good people in harmonious relationships yields individual and corporate strength.

Unity for Morris has to do with the spiritual dimension of life. Here he draws from existentialist thought as well as that of several religious traditions. This foundation for excellence includes living in and from the depths of ultimate reality, as well as being connected to others, the rest of nature, and to the Ground of all Being, as he puts it.

The result of all of this is human fulfillment and true excellence in whatever context we find ourselves in, including the context of a company. The best business will include collaboration, in which people put their individual excellence to work in partnership with one another, carrying out a shared vision that is mutually developed.

The upshot is not a set of procedures or management strategies, but what the reader should take away is a desire toask and answer the right kinds of questions about life and business:

"How can I enhance the level of truth, the experience of beauty, the assurance of goodness, and the sense of unity felt by people who work around and with me?" (p. 213)

Great reading
I received it on the first day of the promised delivery.Item as described.Great, riveting reading.

If an irrational populist ran a non-profit agency

This book is neither about Aristotle nor General Motors.Do not be fooled into believing it is in any way an application of Aristotelian ethics in modern business; it is not.Morris consistently contradicts Aristotle throughout the book.

An example is Morris' proselytizing conclusion that leadership requires humility.To make his point Morris quotes ancient Hasidic verse and the Tao Te Ching to establish that we are all worms.Nobility, Morris suggests, is lowness.

Did Aristotle ever say this? No.Could Aristotelian writing lead us to these conclusions?No again.Is Taoism consistent with Aristotelian reason and logic?No, no, no.Is Hasidic verse? Definitely not.So what is going on?Did Morris forget to read Aristotle?

Aristotle understood Man as a rational being with happiness as the moral purpose of his life.Morris does not.This book does not.

Morris peppers his book with quotes at the furious rate of no less than one or two per page.He quotes every thing from fortune cookies to Einstein.Ironically with all this mad quoting he never once, ever, (I checked) quotes Aristotle - never.

This book could better be titled, "If an irrational populist ran a non-profit organization."

The prefaces of basic economic texts usually contain better discussions of the practical intersection of business and philosophy.

Brilliant
When you ask business people what they think about ethics and morality, they usually answer that these are important things in today's business environment. When you ask them what they REALLY think about ethics and morality, most of them don't want to answer you in any detail. A few will reply that morality is "idealistic" and that one must be "pragmatic" in everyday business practice. The belief that "morality is a topic to be debated after the bills are paid" seems to be the dominant belief in business (and other) circles.

This book, brilliant in every way, attempts, and succeeds, in arguing that wisdom and its concrete manifestation in ethics, should be the cornerstone of business life. The author is a philosopher, and not a business owner, but with his insight into the dynamics of the marketplace and its optimization, his ideas are clearly thinking "out of the box". One can only hope that business leaders (and others) will discover the ideas in this book or some other like it. With today's headlines in corporate fraud and other scandals (some justified and some not), business people need to start believing in the efficacy of ethics in optimizing their business ventures.

The preface to the book concerns "reinventing corporate spirit", the author drawing on the thoughts of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle to set up the foundation for his arguments in the book. He recognizes correctly that it is ideas that fundamentally move the world.

Throughout the book are many interesting insights into the psychology of business practices. When speaking of happiness for example, in relation to Aristotle's notion of eudaemonia, one of these is the recognition that money is frequently not the end goal for business people, the real goal being to achieve admiration in the eyes of others. The resulting ostentatious lifestyle is primarily done to impress, this being a transient and ultimately unsatisfying motivation in the eyes of the author.

The book is divided up into four parts: Truth, Beauty, Goodness, and Unity. Each of these stand for respectively, the intellectual, aesthetic, moral, and spirtual necessities for achieving true happiness.
In "Truth" the discussion is interesting in that it emphasizes the importance of telling the truth not just from the standpoint of what it will do in relation to others, but what it will do for the individual involved. Telling a lie damages one's self confidence. Individuals who practice the telling of falsehoods are intimidated by truth and do not have any confidence in the efficacy of their own minds. In addition, the author discusses the importance of "open-book management": that the sharing of knowledge results in greater productivity among the employees. This is to be contrasted with the nervous attitude among some managers who feel threatened by information, again lacking self-confidence and are in a perpetual state of worry that the dissemination of knowledge among employees or co-workers will result in their comptetitive demise. Theseviews on truth are most refreshing. "Lying is the most dangerously corrosive and subtly destabilizing activities to be found in human life" he says. He's right.

Quoting the Hindu proverb "The true nobility is in being superior to your precious self", the author encourages the view of competition as being one in which individuals surpass their former abilities, instead of worrying about their status in relation to others. He's right.

Even more important is that the author addresses the influence of philosophy in the development of ethical attitudes in business. Ethical relativism and nihilism have wreaked havoc in society as a whole, not just in business, and the author emphasizes the need for coming to grips with these beliefs, and replacing them with sound philosophical systems that are both rational and meshed with common sense. "Ideas rock the world" he states. He's right.

Most refreshingly, the author does not shy away from addressing the issue of self-interest. Confronting the "What's in it for me?" question that is asked by some, he clearly believes that self-interest is not something to be swept under the rug in discussions on ethics and morality in business. "The view that ethics requires total personal disinterestedness is a dangerous distortion of the truly moral point of view", he states. He's right.

Peer pressure and "going with the flow" are always issues that everyone has to deal with in the business environment. Not being labeled as a "team player" can be detrimental to one's growth in a particular organization. The author asks the reader to count the costs of conformity and not to "associate with evil men, lest you increase their number", quoting George Herbert. He's right.

But ethics is not merely a collection of arbitrary rules to follow, the author argues. The right course of action is built into the nature of reality and meshes with human nature and human needs. Since this is the case, the practice of true ethical norms is not only productive, but pleasureful to the individual, and instead of causing boredom as some might believe, alleviates it, argues the author. He's right.

Some might label, and the author does unashamedly, the framework outlined in the book as "spiritual". Goal-oriented, truth-valuing, truth-loving conduct results in a productive, life-loving spiritual individual, in complete antithesis to that of a sterile, non-creative, cynical one who views life as a burden with crosses to bear.

Some of course might view this book, and one on ethics in general, as being "idealistic" or "naive". Such individuals may not wish to even pick it up, let alone read it. But individuals who practice these ideas, or ones very similar, haved moved the world, and will continue to do so.

Genuinely non-Aristotelian look at Business Leadership...
Despite a provocative and promising title, Tom Morris delivers neither a new nor a true approach to the art of business leadership.While the book is occasionally clever and sometimes humorous, the vast majority of this book is mostly just a hodgepodge of relativism only somewhat related to the art of management and leadership.In short, the content of the book leads the reader miles away from what might result from the title scenario.

Morris falls short perhaps because he is simply a mediocre scholar of Aristotle, perhaps because he was a professor of philosophy at a Catholic university, or perhaps because he is simply just a below-average writer.Regardless, the author comes up lacking in both the style and substance of a book premise that could be truly great in more capable hands.

As to style, the book is replete with anecdotes that sometimes illustrate points quite well and sometimes are clearly inserted only because the author had them at his disposal.Likewise, the book is peppered with quotations that interrupt the flow of the narrative and only rarely have anything more than a tangential relevance to the text surrounding it.One such quote, from the author himself, neatly summarizes my view of this production: "Obscurity is not a mark of profundity, however many confused writers have hoped to bully us into believing otherwise." How true, how true indeed: I wonder how many of his students felt the same way after one of his philosophy lectures.

As to substance, the book is almost a complete loss.I say almost because, to be fair, Morris does come close to painting an Aristotelian view of life when he delves into the meaning of life.The author frames up his answer beautifully but then promptly undermines it in his attempts at clarification.To be more specific, Morris claims that the meaning of life is to be found in "creative love" (or, more accurately, in the love of creativity).While this sounds at first blush to be both logical and promising, not unlike the true motive power behind human innovation, Morris explains his surmise so ineptly that it becomes readily apparent to the reader that any proximity to the truth was merely an accident.Far from leading the reader closer to any meaningful answers, Morris abandons the audience as if in mid-thought, convincing them that his conclusions were as much the product of coincidence as of rational thought.

This is just one example of the sort of philosophical inconsistency that exists throughout this book.In nearly every chapter, Morris makes sweeping, unsubstantiated statements and then proceeds as if these statements were self-evident truths.This might be passable if the author were able to consistently proceed from these sweeping statements in a logical progression.However, the reader frequently gets no more than one or two steps away from an assertion masquerading as immutable law when the author creates transparent straw man arguments to bolster his tenuous premises.Even if the reader can forgive (and accept as true) the first premise of the author's progression, the subsequent steps are so disorienting and fallacious that it is hard to move past them.

Perhaps the most obvious example of this is how Morris routinely equates rational self-interest with intellectual myopia.For instance, in painting the entire philosophical landscape, he cites only three schools of thought: Nihilism, Relativism, and Absolutism.While he aptly defines the concepts of Nihilism and he readily betrays himself as a Relativist, he casts Absolutism as the province solely of religious zealots.

Morris's emphatic use of the relativist's scale on which to measure thought is perhaps the fundamental flaw of his book.It is a small wonder that he finds no thematic consistency when he shows us a different yardstick for the measurement of each new topic.This changing standard sometimes becomes outright silly.For instance, on nearly a half dozen occasions, Morris attempts to weave coherent messages by juxtaposing concepts from the writings of Aristotle next to those of prominent theologians.The result of this sort of conceptual looseness is that better than half of the supposed insights delivered by the book turn out to be little more than fortune cookie proclamations-statements devoid of both context and independently verifiable meaning.

All of this should be hardly surprising from someone who openly claims that any "unifying principle of philosophy is a dream." The question that remains for the reader, however, is: Why choose Aristotle if you believe philosophical unification is unachievable?Why co-opt the one Philosopher who may have come closest to philosophical unity than any other?Why not be honest with your readers?Why not entitle the book: If Dale Carnegie Ran General Motors?Even Plato or Immanuel Kant or William James would have been better choices, but that discussion is for another time.

Like so many academic philosophers and modern business writers, Morris selects philosophical concepts based on their emotional appeal rather than with regard to any underlying consistency.This book, like virtually every business book on the market (with a few highly worthwhile exceptions) simply promotes the art we witness in greeting cards and long-distance phone commercials on television.From it, we get nothing more than the regurgitation of unthinking, it-takes-a-village drivel that characterizes so much of todays supposed non-fiction writing.Morris' entire effort seems to be very much like a Hollywood production-aiming to tug at heartstrings with nothing more substantive as a goal.In the end, that is all this book is equipped to do: provide us with a feeling...sadly, that feeling is simple, straightforward disappointment. ... 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

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.


... Read more

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

Product Description
Harry Potter has put a spell on millions of readers, and they all want to find out more about the deeper meaning of his adventures. In Harry Potter and Philosophy, 17 experts in the field of philosophy unlock some of Hogwarts' secret panels, uncovering surprising insights that are enlightening both for wizards and for the most discerning muggles. Individual chapters look at such topics as life revealed in the Mirror of Erised; the ethics of magic; Moaning Myrtle, Nearly Headless Nick, and the relation of the mind to the brain; and the character of Hermione as a case of "sublimated feminism." Also examined in this witty collection are how Aristotle would have run a school for wizards; whether the Potter stories undermine religion and morality; how to tell good people from evil ones through the characters in these novels; and what dementors and boggarts can teach readers about happiness, fear, and the soul. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Used book just like new.
This book came to me promply.Since it is used I expected wear and tear, but the book is like new.Thank You

Accessible deep reading
This read can be a gentle yet captivating intro to philosophy or a vibrant deepening of the subject within an upbeat and modern setting. Either way, excellently written, clearly presented and pertinent analysis awaits the reader.

aristotle and hogwarts
unfortunately i havent begun to read it read, because my spouse is VERY ill, and my mother is, as well i feel that when i read this book, i'll have to 'think', and i cant read philosophy w/out thinkingSO, i've not read it yet, look forwrd to doing so, but i had absolutely NO problems w/the vendor from whom i would happily purchase books againc bickett

Timbus Violett speaks for Albus
This book actually adds to Joannes already superbly developed characters. The authors of each essay included in this book have taken time to avoid making wrong character judgements. The editors have placed the essay in an order making it easier to understand the characters in the context of all the other characters. Snape is extremely complex and well defined here.

Timbus Violett
Professor Emeritus The University of The Grind

Amazing read!!
For a Harry Potter and a Philosophy fan, I was pleased and excited to find this book.It took me less than a day to read and I was fully amazed.This is a set of essays that are wrote so well.

Some of the things I agreed with and had thought of, others others i never thought of, but now puzzle me.I still get into conversations about Harry Potter based on that book, and it's amazing.

This book has truly been the light shining over Harry Potter. ... Read more