PHL109: Ancient Philosophy: Aristotle: Works

The Oxford Translation of Aristotle was originally published in 12 volumes between 1912 and 1954. It is universally recognized as the standard English version of Aristotle. This revised edition contains the substance of the original Translation, slightly emended in light of recent scholarship; three of the original versions have been replaced by new translations; and a new and enlarged selection of Fragments has been added. The aim of the translation remains the same: to make the surviving works of Aristotle readily accessible to English speaking readers.

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.

Selections seeks to provide an accurate and readable translation that will allow the reader to follow Aristotle's use of crucial technical terms and to grasp the details of his argument. Unlike anthologies that combine translations by many hands, this volume includes a fully integrated set of translations by a two-person team. The glossary--the most detailed in any edition--explains Aristotle's vocabulary and indicates the correspondences between Greek and English words. Brief notes supply alternative translations and elucidate difficult passages.

Providing newly revised translations of selections from Aristotle's most important works, five lectures consider widespread topics that affect everyday people, from the natural world to human nature.