[Aristotle].

[Aristotle Ethica] Aristotelous Thikn Nikomachein Biblia Deka. Aristotelis Ethicorum Nicomacheorum Libri Decem. Codicum Mss. Collatione Recogniti, Et Notis Illustrati, A Gulielmo Wilkinson, A.M. E Coll. Reginae.

Edition Tertia [Greek and Latin]. Oxonii [Oxford], E Typographeo Clarendoniano [The Clarendon Press], 1809. Octavo. IV, [12], 465, [1] pages plus 2 pages of Bookseller-Catalogue (Books printed at The Clarendon Press in Oxford : Sold by Joshua Cooke, Bookseller in Oxford and by Payne and Mckinlay). Hardcover / Original 19th century full leather with gilt lettering on spine. Spinelabel stating: “Aristotelis Ethica”. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. From the library of Daniel Conner (Connerville / Manch House), with his Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown. Including a full page with manuscript entries by Conner in greek.

Aristotle first used the term ethics to name a field of study developed by his predecessors Socrates and Plato which is devoted to the attempt to provide a rational response to the question of how humans should best live. Aristotle regarded ethics and politics as two related but separate fields of study, since ethics examines the good of the individual, while politics examines the good of the city-state, which he considered to be the best type of community.

Aristotle’s writings have been read more or less continuously since ancient times, and his ethical treatises in particular continue to influence philosophers working today. Aristotle emphasized the practical importance of developing excellence (virtue) of character (Greek ethike arete), as the way to achieve what is finally more important, excellent conduct (Greek praxis). As Aristotle argues in Book II of the Nicomachean Ethics, the man who possesses character excellence will tend to do the right thing, at the right time, and in the right way. Bravery, and the correct regulation of one’s bodily appetites, are examples of character excellence or virtue. So acting bravely and acting temperately are examples of excellent activities. The highest aims are living well, and eudaimonia – a Greek word often translated as well-being, happiness or “human flourishing”. Like many ethicists, Aristotle regards excellent activity as pleasurable for the man of virtue. For example, Aristotle thinks that the man whose appetites are in the correct order takes pleasure in acting moderately.

Aristotle emphasized that virtue is practical, and that the purpose of ethics is to become good, not merely to know. Aristotle also claims that the right course of action depends upon the details of a particular situation, rather than being generated merely by applying a law. The type of wisdom which is required for this is called “prudence” or “practical wisdom” (Greek phronesis), as opposed to the wisdom of a theoretical philosopher (Greek sophia). But despite the importance of practical decision making, in the final analysis the original Aristotelian and Socratic answer to the question of how best to live, at least for the best types of human, was, if possible, to live the life of philosophy.

Three ethical treatises

Three Aristotelian ethical works survive today which are considered to be either by Aristotle, or from relatively soon after:

Nicomachean Ethics, abbreviated as the NE or sometimes (from the Latin version of the name) as the EN, consisting of 10 books. The NE is the most widely read of Aristotle’s ethical treatises.
Eudemian Ethics, often abbreviated as the EE.
Magna Moralia, often abbreviated as the MM.

The exact origins of these texts is unclear, although they were already considered the works of Aristotle in ancient times. Textual oddities suggest that they may not have been put in their current form by Aristotle himself. For example, Books IV–VI of Eudemian Ethics also appear as Books V–VII of Nicomachean Ethics. The authenticity of the Magna Moralia has been doubted, whereas almost no modern scholar doubts that Aristotle wrote the Nicomachean Ethics and the Eudemian Ethics himself, even if an editor also played some part in giving us those texts in their current forms.

The Nicomachean Ethics has received the most scholarly attention, and is the most easily available to modern readers in many different translations and editions. Some critics consider the Eudemian Ethics to be “less mature,” while others, such as Kenny (1978),contend that the Eudemian Ethics is the more mature, and therefore later, work.

Traditionally it was believed that the Nicomachean Ethics and the Eudemian Ethics were either edited by or dedicated to Aristotle’s son and pupil Nicomachus and his disciple Eudemus, respectively, although the works themselves do not explain the source of their names. On the other hand, Aristotle’s father was also called Nicomachus. Aristotle’s son was the next leader of Aristotle’s school, the Lyceum, and in ancient times he was already associated with this work.

A fourth treatise, Aristotle’s Politics, is often regarded as the sequel to the Ethics, in part because Aristotle closes the Nicomachean Ethics by saying that his ethical inquiry has laid the groundwork for an inquiry into political questions (NE X.1181b6-23). Aristotle’s Ethics also states that the good of the individual is subordinate to the good of the city-state, or polis.

Fragments also survive from Aristotle’s Protrepticus, another work which dealt with ethics. (Wikipedia)

• Keywords: Aristoteles · Classical Literature – Rare · Daniel Conner Library · Daniel Conner Library (Connerville / Manch House / Bandon) · Ethics · Ethik · Philosophy of Morals · Philosophy of Religion · Philosophy Rare
• Language: Greek
• Inventory Number: 31862AB

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