Philosophy: Ancient: Aristotle: Works

Since the publication of the original edition in 1947, Richard McKeon's "Introduction to Aristotle "has become the standard text for a variety of courses in philosophy and the humanities. For this revised and enlarged edition, Professor McKeon has completely rewritten his General Introduction and his introductions to the particular works. He has also expanded the collection to include material from "On the Parts of Animals" and the "Rhetoric." Aristotle's contribution to Western civilization is enormous. Our language, our distinctions, our ways of thinking, all are profoundly affected by his work. Since an understanding of Aristotle is indispensable for the understanding of our own culture, the ready availability of his work is crucial. This collection, for students and general readers alike, provides in one volume "Posterior Analytics" (Logic), "De Anima" (On the Soul), "Nicomachean Ethics," and "Poetics," complete and unabridged, together with generous selections from "Physics, On the Parts of Animals, Metaphysics, Politics, "and" Rhetoric." These works, together with Professor McKeon's revised introductions, provide a convenient and thorough exposure to the works of Aristotle and to the structural interrelations in the Aristotelian system of thought.

Gail Fine's On Ideas is a study of Book 1 of Aristotle's short essay Peri Ideon, in which Aristotle presents a systematic account of a series of five arguments for the existence of Platonic forms along with a series of objections to each of these arguments.

Aristotle's moral philosophy is a pillar of Western ethical thought. It bequeathed to the world an emphasis on virtues and vices, happiness as well-being or a life well lived, and rationally motivated action as a mean between extremes. Its influence was felt well beyond antiquity into the Middle Ages, particularly through the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. In the past century, with the rise of virtue theory in moral philosophy, Aristotle's ethics has been revived as a source of insight and interest. While most attention has traditionally focused on Aristotle's famous Nicomachean Ethics, there are several other works written by or attributed to Aristotle that illuminate his ethics: the Eudemian Ethics, the Magna Moralia, and Virtues and Vices.

One of the fundamental works of Western political thought, Aristotle's masterwork is the first systematic treatise on the science of politics. For almost three decades, Carnes Lord's justly acclaimed translation has served as the standard English edition. This new edition of the "Politics" retains and adds to Lord's already extensive notes, clarifying the flow of Aristotle's argument and identifying literary and historical references. A glossary defines key terms in Aristotle's philosophical-political vocabulary. Lord has made revisions to problematic passages throughout the translation in order to enhance both its accuracy and readability. He also substantially revised his introduction for the new edition, presenting an account of Aristotle's life in relation to political events of his time; the character and history of his writings and of the "Politics" in particular; his overall conception of political science; and his impact on subsequent political thought from antiquity to the present.