Aristotle

I. Logic (Organon)

II. Metaphysics and Physics

III. Ethics and Politics

IV. Aesthetic Writings

V. Human Physics

  • On the Soul
  • Parva Naturalia
    • On Sense and the Sensible
    • On Memory and Reminiscence
    • On Sleep and Sleeplessness
    • On Dreams
    • On Prophesying by Dreams
    • On Longevity and Shortness of Life
    • On Youth, Old Age, Life and Death, and Respiration

VI. Animal Physics

  • The History of Animals
  • On the Parts of Animals
  • On the Motion of Animals
  • On the Gait of Animals
  • On the Generation of Animals

References:

  2. There are multiple translations of each of Aristotle’s works. If you’re asking about Nicomachean Ethics for the GR group read, I like the translations by W. D. Ross (Oxford ), and H. Rackham (Harvard University Press). They are both scholarly and accessible. But I don’t think you can go wrong with any translation from a respected publisher, because Aristotle’s meaning in that book is straightforward enough.

    Reply

  3. Hi Nemo,

    I apologize (again) for a completely vague post. 🙂

    When I was reading Plato, Benjamin Jowett seemed to pop up everywhere at that time. After reading one of his translations of the dialogues, I felt his translation was accessible, and it was free on the web.. But I feel a little lost as to where to start with Aristotle (who I am reading on my own whether or not our group decides to). So I guess that is what I was wondering: Which of the translations is a classics translation (so it has been proved over time to be reliable), but at the same time is accessible, and also free on the web?

    I have a feeling Accessibiliy will be much more important when reading Aristotle than it was when reading Plato!

    Reply

    1. No worries. I sort of guessed at your meaning. 🙂

      As far as I know, nobody has single–handedly translated the complete works of Aristotle, as Benjamin Jowett did Plato. The “complete works” that are in print now are collections of old translations by many different scholars. The 23-volume set published by Harvard University Press is considered scholarly standard, and many popular works are available from the Perseus site linked above; a semi-complete scholarly collection is available from the Adelaide site. Those two sites cover the complete works of Aristotle.

      For people like me who can’t read the original language, the key to understand an author is to read as many works from the same author as possible. It is rather like deciphering an encrypted message. The more texts you read, the easier to recognize patterns of thoughts.

      Hope that helps.

      Reply

      1. It does help!! I was wondering why, when I was trying to google translations, it kept coming up with so many different names. It makes sense now.

        I agree with you about reading as many works as possible. My plan is to read the following:

        Poetics
        Rhetoric
        Organon
        Metaphysics
        On the soul
        Nicomachean ethics
        the Athenian constitution
        And maybe, Parva Naturalia (if my brain has melted into a puddle of mush by then…)

        Ambitious, no? :p Wish me luck!

      2. It might help to read the plays by the three ancient Greek tragedians before reading Poetics, because tragedy is the main subject of his analysis.

      2. I first became interested in the Greek and Roman classics because St. Augustine references them in his books. And then I decided to read the Great Books of the Western World Series, like you. 🙂

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