Author
Aristotle
-384--322
Aristotle (-384--322) is a public-domain author available on Rivro. Read free books, explore subjects, and discover related classics.
Subjects
Books by Aristotle
The Ethics of Aristotle
"The Ethics of Aristotle" by Aristotle is a foundational philosophical treatise written in the 4th century BC. This work serves as a comprehensive exploration of moral philosophy, addressing the nature of good character, virtue, and ultimately happiness, which Aristotle identifies as the chief aim of human action. The text is a part of Aristotle's broader discussions on human conduct, linked with his other work, "Politics," to form a holistic view of moral and civic life. The opening of this significant text introduces the central themes of ethics as they pertain to individual behavior in a societal context. Aristotle posits that every action is directed towards some good, with happiness defined as the ultimate end that people seek. Through a thorough analysis of various modes of life, including the pursuit of pleasure, honor, and contemplation, Aristotle thoughtfully critiques popular notions of happiness. He emphasizes the importance of virtue, which is achieved through habituation and reasoned action, ultimately weaving together ethics with the practical aspects of living well and functioning within the community. The excerpt illustrates Aristotle's method of philosophical inquiry, laying a groundwork for his extensive examination of moral virtues and their application in life.
The Poetics of Aristotle
"The Poetics of Aristotle" by Aristotle is a philosophical treatise written around 335 BCE. This earliest surviving work of Greek dramatic theory examines poetry as an art of imitation, focusing primarily on tragedy, epic, and comedy. Aristotle analyzes how these genres differ in rhythm, character, and narrative presentation, establishing foundational concepts like catharsis and dramatic structure. Though only the section on tragedy and epic survives, this text became a cornerstone of Western literary criticism, influencing centuries of debate about storytelling and artistic creation.
Politics: A Treatise on Government
"Politics: A Treatise on Government" by Aristotle is a work of political philosophy written in the 4th century BC. Aristotle examines how people should best live together in communities, particularly the polis or city-state. Drawing on research of 158 constitutions, he uses an evidence-based approach to explore the nature of political communities, household relationships, citizenship, and controversial questions about slavery and justice. The work bridges ethics and politics in Aristotle's philosophy of human affairs.
The Athenian Constitution
"The Athenian Constitution" by Aristotle is a work written between 328-322 BC. Lost for centuries and rediscovered on Egyptian papyrus in the 1890s, it describes the political system of ancient Athens in unprecedented detail. The text traces the evolution of Athenian government through various constitutional forms and explains the city's institutions, including citizenship, magistrates, and courts. Its discovery transformed Greek historical study by revealing contemporary information found nowhere else in ancient literature.
Aristotle's History of Animals In Ten Books
"Aristotle's History of Animals" by Aristotle is a scientific publication written in the late 4th century BC. The work serves as one of the earliest comprehensive surveys of zoology, analyzing and categorizing various animal species based on their anatomy, behaviors, and habitats. It combines observations with the knowledge inherited from previous naturalists to create a foundational text in the history of biological sciences. The opening of "Aristotle's History of Animals" sets the stage for a detailed examination of the animal kingdom. Aristotle begins by classifying animal parts into simple and compound components, continuing with a discussion on the similarities and differences among various species based on their physical attributes and lifestyles. He lays out an extensive framework for understanding animals, including their modes of life—aquatic versus terrestrial—and anatomical structures, using comparative anatomy to illustrate his points. This introduction effectively establishes the categories and criteria Aristotle will use throughout the work to structure his exploration of the biological world.
Aristotle on the art of poetry
"Aristotle on the art of poetry" by Aristotle is a philosophical treatise written around 335 BCE. This earliest surviving work of Greek dramatic theory examines poetry's fundamental nature, focusing on tragedy, comedy, and epic verse. Aristotle explores how these genres imitate life through differences in rhythm, character, and narrative presentation. The text analyzes tragedy's essential elements—including plot construction, character development, and the experience of catharsis through fear and pity. It distinguishes poetic truth from historical fact, arguing poetry reveals universal possibilities rather than particular events.
The Categories
"The Categories" by Aristotle is a philosophical text from ancient Greece that enumerates all possible kinds of things that can be the subject or predicate of a proposition. This foundational work divides everything in human experience into ten fundamental categories, distinguishing between what can be said "of" versus "in" a subject. Aristotle explores substances, quantities, qualities, and relations, providing a framework for understanding reality that influenced medieval philosophy and sparked centuries of debate about language, logic, and existence.
Über die Dichtkunst beim Aristoteles Neu übersetzt und mit Einleitung und einem erklärenden Namen- und Sachverzeichnis versehen von Alfred Gudemann 1921
"Über die Dichtkunst beim Aristoteles" by Aristotle is a treatise written around 335 BCE that examines poetry and its forms. Aristotle defines poetry through the concept of mimesis—artistic imitation of human action—and analyzes tragedy, epic, and other dramatic arts. The work emphasizes how tragedy achieves emotional catharsis through its structure rather than spectacle. He identifies six essential elements of tragedy, with plot being paramount. The text survives incompletely; a second book on comedy has been lost to history.
Περί Ψυχής
"Περί Ψυχής" by Aristotle is a treatise written around 350 BC. It explores what makes living things alive, examining the different capacities of plants, animals, and humans. Aristotle argues that the soul is not separate from the body but rather its essence and form. He investigates nutrition, sensation, movement, and human intellect, proposing that the soul's nature can be understood through studying its operations and powers across different forms of life.
Αθηναίων Πολιτεία
"Αθηναίων Πολιτεία" by Aristotle is a treatise written between 330 and 322 BCE. It examines the political system of ancient Athens through two parts: a historical account tracing constitutional changes from archaic times through various reforms and regimes, and a detailed description of governmental institutions including magistrates, courts, and public officials. The work survives as the only remaining example from Aristotle's collection of 158 constitutions of Greek city-states, discovered on papyrus in Egypt in 1879.
Ηθικά Νικομάχεια, Τόμος Πρώτος
"Ηθικά Νικομάχεια, Τόμος Πρώτος" by Aristotle is a philosophical work exploring the science of the good for human life. This foundational text asks how to best live, examining what all human actions ultimately aim toward. Consisting of ten books, it approaches ethics as practical rather than theoretical, seeking not just to understand goodness but to help people achieve it. The work profoundly influenced medieval philosophy and continues to shape modern ethical thought through its examination of virtue and the human good.
Runousoppi
"Runousoppi" by Aristotle is a philosophical treatise written around 335 BCE. This pioneering work examines the art of poetry, focusing primarily on dramatic forms including tragedy, comedy, and epic. Aristotle analyzes how these genres imitate life through differences in rhythm, character, and narrative presentation. The surviving text concentrates on tragedy's construction, introducing influential concepts like catharsis and exploring what makes poetry philosophically superior to history. This foundational work established principles for literary criticism that continue to shape Western understanding of dramatic art.
Μικρά Φυσικά, Τόμος Πρώτος
"Μικρά Φυσικά, Τόμος Πρώτος" by Aristotle is a scientific treatise written in the early 20th century. This work is a collection of eight essays that delve into various aspects of biology and physiology, exploring the functions of living organisms. The topics include sensory perception, memory, sleep, and other biological phenomena, serving as both a continuation of Aristotle's earlier work "On the Soul" and an introduction to "On the Parts of Animals." The opening of the treatise outlines the overarching theme and structure, indicating that the essays primarily focus on the organic functions of living beings. Aristotle begins by addressing the essence of sensory perception, setting the foundation for discussions about different senses, such as sight and hearing. He emphasizes the shared characteristics and functions among animals and plants, aiming to differentiate their unique and common experiences. In this introduction, he hints at further inquiries into the relationship between health and disease, as well as the essential functions of life and death, suggesting a comprehensive exploration of the living world to come.
Ηθικά Νικομάχεια, Τόμος Δεύτερος
"Ηθικά Νικομάχεια, Τόμος Δεύτερος" by Aristotle is a philosophical work from ancient Greece. This treatise explores the science of the good for human life—examining how people should best live and what actions should aim toward. Aristotle approaches ethics as practical rather than merely theoretical, seeking to help readers achieve goodness. The work profoundly influenced medieval European philosophy, law, and theology, and later inspired the modern virtue ethics movement.
Aristoteles' Zielkunde
"Aristoteles' Zielkunde" by Aristotle is a philosophical treatise written in the early 4th century BC. The work focuses on the nature of the soul, exploring various definitions, categories, and functions while contrasting Aristotle's views with those of his predecessor, Plato. It serves as a crucial text in the field of psychology and philosophy, aiming to elaborate a systematic understanding of the psyche and its relation to living beings. The opening of "Aristoteles' Zielkunde" introduces the complexities of studying the soul, positioning it as a bridge between the quest for universal truths and the specifics of nature. Aristotle discusses the challenges inherent in defining the soul—a task made more difficult by the need to establish appropriate methodologies and grounding principles for investigation. He highlights that prior philosophical doctrines must be examined and improved upon, setting the stage for a rigorous analysis of the soul's characteristics and capacities, which will involve distinguishing its essential properties and functions in both a general and a specific context.
Μικρά Φυσικά, Τόμος Δεύτερος
"Μικρά Φυσικά, Τόμος Δεύτερος" by Aristotle is a scientific publication likely written in the early centuries of the Common Era. This work focuses on various natural phenomena and human experiences, including the nature of dreams, their causes, and effects on perception, blending philosophy with empirical observation to understand sensory phenomena. The beginning of this volume explores the concept of dreams, asserting that they occur in the realm of the sensory rather than the rational part of the psyche. Aristotle begins by discussing how dreaming differs from sensory perception during wakefulness, emphasizing that while one may experience vivid imagery in dreams, they are not controlled by external stimuli in the same way as when awake. He proposes that dreams are residual impressions of prior sensory experiences, offering insights into the workings of perception and imagination during sleep. Additionally, Aristotle examines how emotional and physical states can influence dreaming, hinting at a complex interplay between the mind and body in these nocturnal narratives.