Aristotle

Grote, George, 1794-1871Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.1

Word count: 8.6K words
Chapters: 1

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Aristotle by George GroteAuthor: Grote, George, 1794-1871,Language: English, Class: B: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion, Release Date: May 31, 2014

Editor's review

George Grote was a nineteenth-century British historian, best known for his multi-volume history of Greece; this book is his monograph on Aristotle, a critical work at the intersection of history of philosophy and classical studies. Grote does not write as a systematic philosophy textbook would; instead he places Aristotle back in the context of Greek thought and within his own historiographical concerns, and the prose carries the composure and argumentative feel of Victorian scholarly writing. Its value lies in offering a knowledge sample of how a nineteenth-century scholar understood Aristotle, allowing readers to observe historical changes in how the history of philosophy is written and to gain a more holistic grasp of Aristotle's intellectual background. The discussions touch on logic, ethics, politics, and related topics, and it is suitable as supplementary historical commentary alongside reading the primary texts. One caveat: this is a public-domain English ebook, and both its length and difficulty are considerable; the terminology and sentence structure bear the marks of their era, so it is best read patiently in sections and cross-referenced with modern introductions.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a basic interest in ancient Greek philosophy and its history
Researchers who wish to understand Aristotle from a historiographical perspective
English-language readers interested in observing nineteenth-century academic writing style
Readers preparing to read Aristotle's primary texts who need background commentary

Not a good fit for

Beginners seeking introductory philosophy textbooks or popular science
Readers who struggle with English and need a Chinese translation for support
Readers who want only selected passages from Aristotle's primary texts rather than commentary

Reading tips

Read a modern introduction to Aristotle first, then return to this book's historian's perspective for comparison.
Read in blocks by topic—logic, ethics, politics—and take brief notes on each.
When encountering long period-style sentences, grasp the paragraph's main point first rather than pondering every word.
Read alongside the introductory sections of Grote's history of Greece to understand his historiographical method.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book Aristotle's original work?

No. This book is a research commentary on Aristotle written by George Grote; it is a work in the history of philosophy, not a translation of Aristotle's own writings. It should be treated as secondary research, used alongside the primary texts or modern introductions.

How difficult is the English?

It is nineteenth-century academic English, with long sentences and considerable terminology, harder than ordinary popular writing. Readers with university-level English reading ability and familiarity with basic philosophical terms can attempt it; if it proves difficult, begin with a modern introduction in Chinese or English as a foundation.

Do I need to read Aristotle's original works first?

You need not read the primary texts in full beforehand, but a general familiarity with major works such as the Nicomachean Ethics and the Politics will noticeably lower the threshold. You can also read this book while consulting relevant chapters of the primary texts, creating a mutually referential reading rhythm.

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About the author

Grote, George, 1794-1871 Author

George Grote (1794-1871) was a British historian known for his studies of ancient Greece. The library holds 15 of his works, including the multi-volume History of Greece (Volumes 1, 2, 3, 6, and 8), Plato and the Other Companions of Sokrates, 3rd edition (Volumes 1 and 2), and Aristotle. His writing is characterized by solid use of sources and detailed narrative, and has long been regarded as an important reference for the study of Greek history. Because public information is limited, biographical details are omitted here. The library classifies his works under "inspirational growth," a category that may not suit their scholarly nature; readers should understand them in light of the original texts.