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Book Cover for: Poetics, Aristotle

Poetics

Aristotle

Aristotle's Politics is a key document in Western political thought. In these first two books Aristotle shows his complete mastery of political theory and practice, and raises many crucial issues still with us today. In Book I he argues vigorously for a political theory based on 'nature'. By nature, man is a 'political animal', one naturally fitted for life in a polis or state. Some people, however, are natural slaves; and women are by nature subordinate to men. Acquisition and exchange are natural, but not trading for profit. In Book II he launches a sharp attack on Plato's two 'utopias', the Republic and the Laws, and also criticizes three historical states reputed to be well governed: Sparta, Crete, and Carthage. This volume contains a close translation of these two books, together with a philosophical commentary. It is well suited to the requirements of readers who do not know Greek.

Book Details

  • Publisher: Penguin Classics
  • Publish Date: Mar 1st, 1997
  • Pages: 144
  • Language: English
  • Edition: Revised - undefined
  • Dimensions: 7.92in - 5.04in - 0.36in - 0.27lb
  • EAN: 9780140446364
  • Recommended age: 18-UP
  • Categories: Ancient & Classical

About the Author

Aristotle was born in 384BC. For twenty years he studied at Athens at the Academy of Plato, on whose death in 347 he left, and some time later became tutor to Alexander the Great. On Alexander's succession to the throne of Macedonia in 336, Aristotle returned to Athens and established his school and research institute, the Lyceum. After Alexander's death he was driven out of Athens and fled to Chalcis in Euboea where he died in 322. His writings profoundly affected the whole course of ancient and medieval philosophy.

Malcolm Heath has been Reader in Greek Language and Literature at Leeds University since 1991.