Aristotle: The Desire to Understand [Paperback]

Jonathan Lear (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521347629 | ISBN-13: 978-0521347624 | Publication Date: February 26, 1988

This is a philosophical introduction to Aristotle, and Professor Lear starts where Aristotle himself started. He introduces us to the essence of Aristotle's philosophy and guides us through all the central Aristotelian texts--selected from the Physics, Metaphysics, Ethics, Politics and the biological and logical works. The book is written in a direct, lucid style that engages the reader with the themes in an active and participatory manner. It will prove a stimulating introduction for all students of Greek philosophy and for a wide range of others interested in Aristotle as a giant figure in Western intellectual history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"As a general introduction to Aristotle for the intellectually curious, it will not be superseded for years to come. Professionals too will find much to excite and stimulate them; occasionally, too, they may find something to infuriate: but that is all to the good." R.J. Hankinson, ISIS

Book Description

An introduction to Aristotle's philosophy progresses through all the central texts selected from the Physics, Metaphysics, Ethics, Politics and the biological and logical works as well.

Product Details

• Paperback: 342 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (February 26, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521347629
• ISBN-13: 978-0521347624
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #217,007 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very clear and fresh look at Aristotle's thought, August 5, 2000

By 

Frank Bierbrauer (Cardiff, Wales, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aristotle: The Desire to Understand (Paperback)

A simply excellent book introducing the philosophy of Aristotle by Jonathan Lear. Lear accesses the original ancient Greek and as such avoids some of the errors which creep into accounts of ancient philosophy using a contemporary mind-set. A very clear account of Aristotle's many works, excerpts from the metaphysics, ethics and others explaining the somewhat difficult concepts in a fresh way that is free of extraneous interpretation and captures Aristotle's own way of understanding, or at least as close as seems possible given the intervening time. Just when you thought a concept had been understood along comes a new and invigorating idea to surprise you as you proceed through the book. This is not a simple book, neither is it intended to be. I would think it is just about Aristotelian thought and its authentic meaning. Not only does it show the depth of his ideas but gives you an insight into Aristotle's astonishing talents, his thought spanning topics from ethics and politics to biology, it gives the impression that the word polymath was created to describe Aristotle and that any coming after him would try to approach his intellect and insight into the world. The book demonstrates some of Aristotle's greatest solutions to the challenges proposed by Plato's thought as well as Zeno. All in all an exceptional book in the practise of Aristotle's philosophy. It is a pity that the older book by Lear on Aristotelian Logic is now out of print, hopefully this situation is only temporary.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent explication of Aristotle, November 16, 2002

By 

T. Gwinn (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aristotle: The Desire to Understand (Paperback)

As the author notes, there is a common tendency to describe 'old' philosophies such as Aristotles in an historical manner: to treat his ideas as tacitly dead and gone, with the value of the works deriving from either locating Aristotle's ideas in the context of the history of philosophy, or via some rather facile 'compare and contrast with modern views' approach.

Instead, Lear is "...primarily concerned with the truth about Aristotle, not the truth of Aristotle's views per se...". This frees him up to spend most of his ink on explicating and clarifying the views of Aristotle. Where contrasts do appear, they are intended to "...bring to light how different Aristotle's world is from the modern, not to show how Aristotle's beliefs fall short of what we now take to be the truth."

The organization is by concepts, so within one section there are often references to various books on Aristotle. This is much more helpful than simply attempting to narrate, or move in lockstep, with Aristotle's sequence of writings.

The references are generally sufficient, footnoted at the bottom of the pages. Occasionally, the original Greek words or phrases are also footnoted. (I would have preferred more of the latter, but that is a quibble.)

The author is neither pretentious nor superficial. His writing is that of a patient tutor who is willing to explain, but also not willing to oversimplify. In so doing, the book comes across as being ardently respectful of Aristotle, and it is an excellent companion to reading Aristotle's works.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book with real insights into Aristotle, February 22, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Aristotle: The Desire to Understand (Paperback)

Jonathan Lear gives us a truthful and insightful look at Aristotle's thoughts. As opposed to many so-called commentators and experts on Aristotle's theories (including W.D.Ross and J.L.Ackrill) Lear attempts at explaining what Aristotle was saying, not an elaborate re-interpretation and argumentation. Questions and certain problems are not, however, ignored. And Lear's approach to Hume's problem of cause/effect when discussing Aristotle's four causes is to be much admired (as is his whole understanding of the causes.) Kant is as well not ignored when his ideas are relevent (or contradictory.) But Lear has a knack for explaining each philosopher in itself and this explaining as to what it was that Aristotle said (in contradistinction to Kant's ideas), but not in a judgmental sort of manner.

After looking at many (if not almost all) books on Aristotle's theories, I was suprised to find a book with clear,lucid, and straightforward ideas. This is most probably the best book on this subject.