The Basic Works of Aristotle (Modern Library Classics) Paperback – September 11, 2001

Okay, so almost nobody buys this book to "read" it. This is an English translation produced by a New York university library of the original Germanic text of Aristotle which is his oldest known "complete works of". This is a reference text for people who study Philosophy, and because I study Philosophy I snagged the opportunity to buy this pre-loved book. The printing is of fine quality, the paper is lovely, and the overall condition of the work is good. This book has made life much easier for me, because I can use it to reference large tracts of Aristotle in my papers, and has proved valuable in researching obscure course material on topics, such as "Metaphysics" - directly from the source (something not even many lecturers actually bother to do) which allows the researcher to better understand both source and derivative material, and accurately emplace historical context on their own products. My personal view on reading this material is that it is very old, densely packed, difficult to understand, and the lay reader will require some considerable grounding in both the known facts of Aristotle's life, as well as the subject matter he works with before attempting to tackle it on their own. This is very literally from the birth of Philosophy as a field of study, and Aristotle, like Plato, considers the field of Philosophy through the practice of pure reasoning from first principles to the be the absolute pinnacle of human intellectual achievement. Mostly dialectic in style, it is a great accompaniment to a "Complete Works of Plato" on any bookshelf. Be fairly warned though, if someone sees this on your bookshelf and questions you about it, attempting to talk about Aristotle's reasoning without having actually read any Aristotle will make anyone, however learned, look and feel like a pretentious fool. However, if you can get into it, there is SO much to love about Aristotle's philosophical work. The power of the man's mind is amazing, his reasoning skill is scalpel-sharp and rarely if ever does he waste words. The work (and wit) are of first-rate quality, throughout the entire text. This book can be opened to any page at random and provide enough to absorb, discuss, and research for great lengths of time.

Precisely as described, and it surprised me by being, like, two weeks ahead of time. Packaged well. Very pleased.

This collection of Aristotle’s seminal works is the most practical I have ever encountered, and I have no regrets over this purchase. It contains the whole of arguably the most essential Aristotelian writings while continuing ample selections of his lesser known works, but certainly enough to give the curious reader a taste of their subjects. In this volume you will find the following complete works:1. Categories2. On Interpretation3. Posterior Analytics4. On the Soul5. On Generation and Corruption6. On Dreams7. On the Interpretation of Dreams8. Physics9. Metaphysics10. Nichomachean Ethics11. Politics12. PoeticsI may even be missing one or two.The book is pretty thick, but by no mean unwieldy. If taken care of, the binding should not begin to crease on itself.This is a very great anthology for the inquisitive mind who seeks a general idea of Aristotelian philosophy.

This book is the best one-volume selection of Aristotle's works out there. Your other choices are either the two-volume complete works of Aristotle (ISBN: 069101650X and 0691016518), choppy and ragged selections of the overall books, or buying the individual books. This books facilitates study of Aristotle's comprehensive and coherent philosophy.This edition has Organon, Physics, On The Heavens, On generation And Corruption, On The Soul, Short Physical Treaties, the Three Animals Treaties, Metaphysics, Ethics, Politics, Rhetoric, and Poetics. You have all of the standards that a student would need, plus the lesser-known works. Therefore, this book has achieved the Aristotelian "mean." It is in perfect balance.The selection is superb, but the translation is moderate. Being done in the 1940's, it sounds tinny. The "old school" translation is full of Latinisms, archaisms, and is stuffy. All this means that it is unclear, which is deadly to a translation.The Philosophy of Aristotle (ISBN: 0451528875), on the other hand, is a lively and vibrant. And above all, a clear translation.I recommend getting the hardcover edition. The paper is sturdy, and not the newsprint like tin the soft cover. Furthermore, it is a high-quality binding, and even comes in a protecting box. This book is made to last, to endure, and to be used.