The Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle (Oxford Classics)
A student of Plato and a teacher of Alexander the Great, Aristotle is one of the towering figures in Western thought. A brilliant thinker with wide-ranging interests, he wrote important works in physics, biology, poetry, politics, morality, metaphysics and ethics.
In The Nicomachean Ethics, which he is said to have dedicated to his son Nicomachus, Aristotle's guiding question is simple: what is the best thing for a human being? His answer is happiness. But he means not a feeling or emotion, rather an especially good kind of life, made up of activities that draw on our best human capacities, both those that let us flourish as members of a community and those that allow for a higher, contemplative kind of thought. Contemporary ethical writing on virtues such as courage and justice has drawn deeply from this work, which also explores responsibility, practical reasoning and the role of friendship in building the best possible life.
This new edition combines David Ross's classic translation, lightly revised by Lesley Brown, with a new and invaluable introduction and explanatory notes. A glossary of key terms, a comprehensive index and a fully updated bibliography add further value to this exceptional edition.
For over 100 years, Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text and up-to-date bibliographies for further study.
This book is featured on The Book Club with Michael Knowles, PragerU's show dedicated to the great books of Western civilization. In this episode, Michael Knowles is joined by Professor Charles Kesler to discuss Aristotle's timeless answer to the question of how to live a happy and meaningful life, and why his 2,500-year-old recipe for the good life hasn't grown stale.
📺 Watch the episode: Charles Kesler — Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics
Own this Oxford World's Classics edition of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, and discover why his ancient inquiry into happiness and virtue still shapes how we think about the good life.
