Aristotle - A Very Short Introduction

Aristotle died in the autumn of 322 bc. He was sixty-two and at the height of his powers: a scholar whose scientific explorations were as wide-ranging as his philosophical speculations were profound; a teacher who enchanted and inspired the brightest youth of Greece; a public figure who lived a turbulent life in a turbulent world. He bestrode antiquity like an intellectual colossus. No man before him had contributed so much to learning. No man after him might aspire to rival his achievements. Of Aristotle’s character and personality little is known. He came from a rich family. He was allegedly a dandy, wearing rings on his fingers and cutting his hair fashionably short. He suffered from poor digestion, and is said to have been spindle-shanked. He was a good speaker, lucid in his lectures, persuasive in conversation; and he had a mordant wit. His enemies, who were numerous, accused him of arrogance. His will, which has survived, is a generous document. His philosophical writings are impersonal; but they suggest that he prized both friendship and self-sufficiency, and that, while conscious of his place in an honourable tradition, he was properly proud of his own attainments. As a man, he was, perhaps, admirable rather than amiable. List of Illustrations ix List of Maps xii 1 The Man and His Work 1 2 A Public Figure 7 3 Zoological Researches 14 4 Collecting Facts 24 5 The Philosophical Background 30 6 The Structure of the Sciences 39 7 Logic 46 8 Knowledge 53 9 Ideal and Achievement 59 10 Reality 64 11 Change 75 12 Causes 83 13 Empiricism 92 14 Aristotle’s World-Picture 97 15 Psychology 105 16 Evidence and Theory 110 17 Teleology 116 18 Practical Philosophy 123 19 The Arts 131 20 Afterlife 136 References 143 Chronological Table 151 Further Reading 153 Index 157 حق تکثیر: انتشار در حریم عمومی اینترنت.