The Nichomachean Ethics [Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

Aristotle (Author), Nadia May (Reader), Nadia May (Narrator), David Ross (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2000

This work presents the Nicomachean Ethics in a fresh English translation by Christopher Rowe that strives to be meticulously accurate yet also accessible. The translation is accompanied by Sarah Broadie's detailed line-by-line commentary, which brings out the subtlety of Aristotle's thought as it develops from moment to moment. In addition, a substantial introductory section features a thorough examination of the text's main themes and interpretative problems and also provides preambles to each of the ten books of the Nicomachean Ethics. An indispensable resource for students approaching the Nicomachean Ethics for the first time, this detailed treatment is ideal for courses in classical or ancient philosophy, the philosophy of Aristotle, and ethics.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Broadie and Rowe's NICOMACHEAN ETHICS will immediately become everyone's first choice. Rowe's translation meets the highest standards for philosophical accuracywhile also conveying the special stylistic excellence of much of Aristotle's text. Broadie's beautifully written introductory essay discusses all the major questions of interpretation in a distinctive and powerful philosophical voicewhile also presenting an extraordinarily useful overview of Aristotle's project in the ETHICS. Her line-by-line notes are invariably informative and helpful, as well [as] thought-provoking. John M. Cooper, Stuart Professor of Philosophy, Princeton University

A magnificent work that will become an indispensable companion to all those who want to study Aristotle's ethics - graduate students and their teachers, and all philosophers interested in moral theory. Gisela Striker, Professor of Classical Philosophy, Harvard University

`This translation by Sarah Broadie and Christopher Rowe is especially good because the language is so accessible. Whilst the language is straightforward it maintains the essential Aristotelian message: the job of humans in whatever community or society is to flourish, it is to be what they are well.' Keith Hammond Adult's Learning, 01/12/02. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Greek --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks; Unabridged edition (July 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786117931
• ISBN-13: 978-0786117932
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,824,429 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #58 in Books > Books on Cassette > Religion & Spirituality > Ethics

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent translation and overall edition, August 23, 2004

By 

Nichomachus - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nicomachean Ethics (Paperback)

This Oxford translation of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics is the work of Sarah Broadie and Christopher Rowe. It's easy to pass over since Amazon doesn't have a cover-photo nor any product description, but it should be one of the first translations you consider getting of the Ethics.

The translation is proceded by an 80-page 'philosophical introduction' by Broadie that is superb. She does a good job explicating the Ethics in a reasonable and general way, given a lot of the dispute over the most basic analytic concepts in the literature (for instance the inclusive-dominant debate over eudaimonia). The introduction alone will make it essential for anyone trying to write on the Ethics while giving an overall view of scholarship out there.

The translation itself is very readable, with large print and the proper citations in the column.

Watch out for editions that don't include those, they are usually useless. For instance, Barnes & Noble bought the rights to an edition of the Ethics (one not available on Amazon for obvious reasons) and produced it in a paperback form. It doesn't have the numeric sections accompanying the text, though, and the translation itself is simply a reprint of a fifth edition translation from the 1890s (if an author felt he had to do five editions in ten years, simply spitting it out again 100 years later is a travesty).

A lot of work on the Ethics cites the Barnes collection, and I think it is useful to read this translation side-by-side with that one. My biggest objection is in how this Oxford edition translates "phronesis" and "sophia." The distinction between these two types of knowledge are crucial in understanding Aristotle's ethics. "Phronesis" is usually translated as 'practical wisdom,' and sometimes as 'prudence.' "Sophia" is usually translated 'knowledge.' In this translation "phronesis" is translated as 'wisdom' and "sophia" is translated as 'intellectual accomplishment.' It is very important to keep that in mind when you are reading the text, and if you are interested in Aristotle's discussions of prudential excellence. Anytime 'wisdom' appears in this text, Aristotle is talking specifically about practical wisdom/phronesis, and likewise with 'intellectual accomplishment.' Any apparent vagueness on this note is due to the translation, and frankly I'm surprised they decided to do that. Luckily I read Broadie's introduction, which mentions this on page 46, or else I might have been confused about this later on. Thus, one needs to be very aware that 'wisdom' in this translation is being referred to as a very specific kind of wisdom, namely the ability to reason practically. Not taking this into account will lead to some erroneous interpretations, I believe, and will make some of the discussions in the secondary sources seem confusing and obscure when they don't need to.

Part 3 of the translation is the line-by-line commentary, another commendable quality of this translation that makes it essential. They even do things like chart out the disposition as well as provide useful cross-references. A useful glossary in the back is also helpful, in fact probably essential to deal with any translation confusions like the one I outline above, especially if you are trying to compare translations. There is also a brief topical bibliography of select works as well, and they separate the index into names and subjects.

Overall, this is a great edition. Very well though out, very very useful to the student of Aristotle.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Broadie and Rowe's translation of Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics, December 24, 2010

By 

stephen liem (antioch, ca United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nicomachean Ethics (Paperback)

I have read many translations of Aristotle's Ethics, and this one is the best one as an introductory text. This is for 4 reasons:

1. The translation itself is very accessible and yet do not betray the original prose style of the work. I find this translation to be the best in understanding Aristotle's ideas.

2. The line by line commentaries for each chapters, plus the summary for each books/chapters are invaluable in itself. It is worth to buy this book just for the commentaries.

3. Broadie has a very good introduction to Aristotle's Ethics, I found this to be extremely useful.

4. The author/editor/translator have compiled a very good bibliography based on "themes".

Highly recommended as a first book that should be picked up on this subject.

Having said that, any serious scholar of Aristotle's Ethics will never satisfied with one book/source, one needs to consults other sources on this subject to truly understand Aristotle's Ethics. The good thing is that, this subject matter is very mature in a sense that there are many sources that you can go to.

4.0 out of 5 stars Basis for scientific and Christian ethics, September 17, 2010

By 

J. Zenteno (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Nicomachean Ethics (Paperback)

To the reviewer above who managed to simulataneously disparage Plato and all religions in one fell swoop, please keep in mind that Aristotle was the basis for Thomas Aquinas, who in turn is the basis for almost the entire Roman Catholic teaching orthdox teaching. Don't let your eagerness to rid the world of religion interfere with your critical faculties!!