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| Review of Oxford's 'Complete Aristotle: Volume II'I'm pleased that this book is as complete as it claims to be. Between the two volumes, the readers meets with every aspect of Aristotle's thought, including almost one hundred pages of fragments testimonies.
Unfortunately, I also have several complaints...
a) most of these translations are old - early 20th century old - and this doesn't always make it very easy to read them; they are, if you will, 'classic' translations, but I would have preferred to see Oxford hire a new team of translators to assemble and Aristotle fit for the new century
b) there is very, very little commentary - admittedly, here I compare the complete works of Aristotle to the complete works of Plato, published by Hackett. In Hackett's Plato, there are occasional footnotes to aid the reader's understanding of difficult passages. The Oxford Aristotle only notes paragraphs that were excised in the original translations, and, very, very occasional (10-20 times in the entire library) provides more substantial notes. There aren't even endnotes!
c) there are no introductions to give context to the works - again, I compare with Hackett's Plato. It would have been nice to hear the story behind works of disputed authorship, rather than simply placing a * or ** next to the title of the dialogue. It would also serve to consider how each work relates to the rest of Aristotle's corpus
d) the fragments are poorly arranged. I can see how certain fragments might not specifically reference a certain work, but the editors already arrange them according to the works they supposedly reference - what they don't do is formally divide them as such. Instead, they are placed into general categories.
In summary, what I received from my 8-9 months of Oxford's Aristotle was an incomplete experience. I had hoped to see the best scholarship that money could buy, and instead I met with Jonathan Barne's 'hands-off' tendencies. I respect the idealism of leaving a work to speak for himself, but I also deeply appreciate the guidance of those who have read the Philosopher before me.
Would I buy these books again? Likely, no, I would instead go through the hassle of assembling all of Aristotle's work in smaller collections, finding editions of different works that feature introductions, footnotes and newer translations.
Aristotle is fantasticThis two volume series contains the complete works of Aristotle, which are foundational for philosophy and theology.
The Complete Works of Aristotle Volume 2The Complete Works of Aristotle Volume 2 edited bu Jonathan Barnes is a continuation of the revised Oxford translation. Aristotle is one of the greatest thinkers in the Western tradition, but also one of the most difficult.As with the first volume, this translation makes the surviving works of Aristotle easily read for the English-speaking readers. This volume combined with the first makes a comprehesive work. Both volumes are nicely bound and the type is easy to read. Also, the volumes have numerals printed in the outer margins to key the translations to Immanuel Bekker's standard edition of the Greek text of Aristotle of 1831. The index of both editions could use a bit more work as they are cumbersome to work with, but not impossible. I've found that using "The Cambridge Companion to Aristotle" of great help. This is also edithed by Jonathan Barnes. The contents of volume 2 are as follows: On Plants, On Marvellous Things Heard, Mechanics, Problems On Indivisible Lines, The Situation and Names of Winds, On Melissus,Xenophanes,and Gorgias, Metaphysics, Nicomachean Ethics, Magna Moralia, Eudemian Ethics, On Virtues and Vices, Politics, Economics, Rhetoric, Rhetoric to Alexander, Poetics, Constition of Athens, Fragments. As with the first voume, this work contains works that the authenticity has been seriously doubted and works that are spurious and have never been seroiusly contested. The translations are easily read and flow. You can definately understand what Aristotle is trying to say. Both of these volumes make an excellent addition to your home library.
Product DescriptionThe Oxford Translation of Aristotle was originally published in 12 volumes between 1912 and 1954. It is universally recognized as the standard English version of Aristotle. This revised edition contains the substance of the original Translation, slightly emended in light of recent scholarship; three of the original versions have been replaced by new translations; and a new and enlarged selection of Fragments has been added. The aim of the translation remains the same: to make the surviving works of Aristotle readily accessible to English speaking readers.
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