"Man is a political animal," Aristotle asserts near the beginning of the Politics. In this unique reading of one of the foundational texts of political philosophy, Eugene Garver traces the surprising implications of Aristotle's claim and explores the treatise's relevance to ongoing political concerns. Often dismissed as overly grounded in Aristotle's specific moment in time, in fact the Politics challenges contemporary understandings of human action and allows us to better see ourselves today. Close examination of Aristotle's treatise, Garver finds, reveals a significant, practical role for philosophy to play in politics. Philosophers present arguments about issues - such as the right and the good, justice and modes of governance, the relation between the good person and the good citizen, and the character of a good life - that politicians must then make appealing to their fellow citizens. Completing Garver's trilogy on Aristotle's unique vision, Aristotle's Politics yields new ways of thinking about ethics and politics, ancient and modern.
Format:
CONTRIBUTORS: Eugene Garver
EAN: 9780226154985
COUNTRY: United States
PAGES:
WEIGHT: 425 g
HEIGHT: 23 cm
PUBLISHED BY: The University of Chicago Press
DATE PUBLISHED: 2014-04-04
CITY:
GENRE: PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / Ancient & Classical, PHILOSOPHY / Political
WIDTH: 15 cm
SPINE:
Book Themes:
Political science and theory, Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, Social and political philosophy
"Garver is a skillful interpreter, and it is a privilege to take note as he ruminates on questions most commentators never think to ask." (Choice)"
Eugene Garver is the Regents Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Saint John's University and adjunct professor of philosophy at the University of Minnesota. His most recent books include Aristotle's Rhetoric: An Art of Character and Confronting Aristotle's Ethics: Ancient and Modern Morality.
