Updated Jan 2, 2013

Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics

Supplementary Reading List ARISTOTLES WORKS: Items marked with a star (*) are on course reserve for 2-hour loan through Mills library. To borrow them, just ask at the circulation desk. Watch out for fines! Items marked with a dagger () are available in full-text online, typically through the library website. Check the course website for links. Greek text: Aristotelis, Ethica Nicomachea, ed. I. Bywater (Oxford University Press, 1894; reissued 1983). Aristotles complete works (including this edition of the the Nicomachean Ethics) are available in the original Greek online through Perseus Classical Texts (open access), and through the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (McMaster login required). Links are on the course website. English translations of the Nicomachean Ethics : The course text: Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics, translated, with an introduction, notes and glossary, by Terence Irwin (Hackett, 1989). Other generally reliable English translations: Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics, translated by David Ross, revised with an introduction and notes by Lesley Brown (Oxford University Press (Oxford Worlds Classics), 2009). Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics, translated with an introduction by Roger Crisp (Cambridge University Press, 2000). *Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, translated, with a historical introduction, by Christopher Rowe; philosophical introduction and commentary by Sarah Broadie (Oxford UP, 2002). English translations of other works by Aristotle: Aristotles Complete Works: The complete works of Aristotle are available online in the Revised Oxford Translation through Past Masters (link on the course website requires McMaster login). The Eudemian Ethics : Aristotles other major ethical treatise, the Eudemian Ethics, can now be read in a brand new translation by Inwood and Woolf (published December 2012, on order at Mills): Aristotle: Eudemian Ethics, edited and translated by Brad Inwood and Raphael Woolf, (Cambridge University Press, 2012). Three books from this work are also available, with detailed commentary, in: Aristotle, Eudemian Ethics, Books I, II and VIII, translation and commentary by Michael Woods (Oxford UP, 1992). 1

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BOOKS The following list includes some of the more important and influential books on Aristotles ethics. Items marked with a star (*) are on course reserve for 2-hour loan through Mills library. To borrow them, just ask at the circulation desk. Watch out for fines! Items marked with a dagger () are available in full-text online, typically through the library website. Check the course website for links. Book-length general overviews of Aristotles ethical theory: 1 Broadie, S. Ethics With Aristotle (Oxford UP, 1991). *Bostock, D. Aristotles Ethics (Oxford UP, 2000). *Hardie, W. Aristotles Ethical Theory, 2nd Edition (Clarendon, 1980). Hughes, G. The Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Aristotle on Ethics (Routledge, 2001). *Pakaluk, M.: Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics: An Introduction (Cambridge UP, 2005). *Urmson, J. Aristotles Ethics (Blackwell, 1988). Anthologies of useful essays on particular topics: *Miller, J. (ed.): Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics: A Critical Guide (Cambridge UP, 2011). Pakaluk, M. and Pearson (eds.): Moral Psychology and Human Action in Aristotle (Oxford UP, 2011). *Rorty, A. (ed.): Essays on Aristotles Ethics. (Univ. California Press, 1980). *Sherman, N. (ed.): Aristotles Ethics: Critical Essays (Rowman and Littlefield, 1999). Kraut, R. (ed.): The Blackwell Guide to Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics (Wiley-Blackwell, 2006). Anagnostopoulos, G. (ed.): A Companion to Aristotle (Wiley-Blackwell, 2009). Some notable books on particular aspects of Aristotles ethics: Chappell, T. Values and Virtues: Aristotelianism in Contemporary Ethics (Clarendon Press, 2006). Cooper, John. Reason and the Human Good in Aristotle (Hackett, 1975). Curzer, Howard. Aristotle and the Virtues (Oxford UP, 2012). Gottlieb, Paula. The Virtue of Aristotles Ethics (Cambridge UP, 2009). Kraut, Richard. Aristotle on the Human Good (Princeton UP, 1989). Meyer, Susan Sauv. Aristotle on Moral Responsibility (Oxford UP 1993; reissued 2011). Pearson, Giles. Aristotle on Desire (Cambridge UP, 2012). *Richardson-Lear, Gabriel. Happy Lives and the Highest Good: An Essay on Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics (Princeton UP, 2005). Sherman, Nancy. The Fabric of Character (Oxford UP, 1989).
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Hughes and Pakaluk are engagingly written and suitable for beginners. Of these, Pakaluk is probably the better book, while Hughes, while helpful on some points, needs to be read with caution. Hardie is an older but classic book that often serves as the starting point for scholarly discussions. Urmson is a relatively brief introduction. Bostock likes to take a critical stance towards the text. Broadie is worth reading, but (be warned!) not always easy going.

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ARTICLES AND CHAPTERS ON PARTICULAR TOPICS: In addition to the books listed above, the following articles and book chapters are worth looking at on particular topics. For ease of reference, I have done my best to arrange them by week and topic. Many of these pieces are contained in the collections listed above, while full-text versions of others are available online. Again, those items included in books on course reserve are marked with a *, while those available online are marked with a . You may find databases such as the Philosophers Index or JSTOR (links on the course website) useful for locating further articles. Background and Introductory: Pakaluk Ch. 1, Hardie Ch. 1, Urmson Introduction. Also: Bobonich, C. Aristotles Ethical Treatises in Kraut (ed.) The Blackwell Guide to Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics (2006). *Broadie, Sarah. Philosophical Introduction in Aristotle: Nicomachean Ethics, Broadie and Rowe (eds.), Oxford UP, 2002). (Not especially brief or introductory! But worth consulting.) Miller, Fred, Aristotle: Ethics and Politics, in C. Shields (ed.), The Blackwell Guide to Ancient Philosophy (Blackwell, 2003). Kraut, Richard, Aristotle: Ethics, in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Weeks 12: Happiness and the Human Good: Introduction (NE Book I) Pakaluk Ch. 2, Hardie Ch. 2-5, Broadie Ch. 1, Urmson Ch. 1, Bostock Ch. 1, Hughes Ch. 2-3. Also: Cooper, J. Aristotle on the Goods of Fortune. Philosophical Review 94 (1985), 173-96. Gomez-Lobo, Alfonzo, The Ergon Inference, Phronesis 34 (1989), 170-84. Lawrence, Gavin, Human Good and Human Function in Kraut (ed.) The Blackwell Guide to Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics (2006) (especially sections 1 and 2). Richardson Lear, Gabriel, Happiness and the Structure of Ends, in A Companion to Aristotle, G. Anagnostopoulos (ed.) (2009), 387-403. Whiting, Jennifer. Aristotles Function Argument: A Defense, Ancient Philosophy 8 (1988), 3348. Week 3: Virtue of Character in General (NE I.13, and Book II) Pakaluk Ch. 3, Hardie Ch. 6-7, Broadie Ch. 2.1-10, Urmson Ch. 2, Bostock Ch. 2, Hughes Ch. 4. Also: *Burnyeat, M. Aristotle on Learning to be Good. In Rorty (ed.) (1981), 69-92. Reprinted in Sherman (ed.), 205-30. *Kosman, A. Being Properly Affected: Virtues and Feelings in Aristotles Ethics, in Rorty (ed.) (1981), 103-19. Reprinted in Sherman (ed.), 261-76. Lawrence, Gavin. Acquiring Character: Becoming Grown-Up, in Pakaluk and Pearson (eds.), 233-84. (Somewhat long and challenging.) *Sherman, Nancy. The Habituation of Character, in Sherman (ed.), 231-60. 3

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Vasliliou, Iakovos, The Role of Good Upbringing in Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 56 (1996), 771-96. The Doctrine of the Mean: Brown, L. What is the Mean Relative to Us in Aristotles Ethics? Phronesis 42 (1997), 77-93. Curzer, H. J. A Defense of Aristotles Doctrine of the Mean. Ancient Philosophy 16 (1996), 129-39. (Written partly as a response to Hursthouse.) (See also his recent book.) Hursthouse, R. A False Doctrine of the Mean in Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 81, (19801), 57-72. Reprinted in Sherman (ed.), 105-120. Week 4: Voluntary Action, Deliberation and Decision/Choice (NE III.1-5) Pakaluk Ch. 4, Hardie Ch. 8-9, Broadie Ch. 3-4, Urmson Ch. 4, Bostock Ch. 5, Hughes Ch. 6. Also: Heinaman, Robert, Voluntary, Involuntary and Choice, in A Companion to Aristotle, G. Anagnostopoulos (ed.) (2009), 483-97. Meyer, Susan S. Aristotle on the Voluntary in Kraut (ed.) (2006), 137-57. (See also her book, Aristotle on Moral Responsibility, listed above) Segvic, Heda: Deliberation and Choice in Aristotle, in Pakaluk and Pearson (eds.), 159-86. Week 5: The Individual Virtues of Character (NE III.6 Book IV) Pakaluk Ch. 5, Urmson Ch. 5. Also: Curzer, H. Aristotle and the Virtues (Oxford UP, 2012) (Chapters 2-10 discuss in detail each of the individual character virtues Aristotle describes). Lear, Gabriel Richardson: Aristotle on Moral Virtue and the Fine. In Kraut (ed.), 116-36. Sanford, J. Are You Man Enough? Aristotle and Courage, International Philosophical Quarterly 50 (2010), 431-45. Young, Charles. Aristotle on Temperance. Philosophical Review 97 (1988), 521-42. Young, Charles: Courage, in A Companion to Aristotle, G. Anagnostopoulos (ed.) (2009), 44256. Week 6: Justice (NE Book V) Pakaluk Ch. 6, Hardie Ch. 10, Broadie Ch. 2 (11), Bostock Ch. 3. Also: Curzer, H. Aristotle and the Virtues (Oxford UP, 2012), Ch. 11. *Williams, B. Justice as a Virtue, in Rorty, A. (ed.) Essays on Aristotles Ethics (Univ. California Press: 1980). Young, Charles, Aristotles Justice, in Kraut (ed.) (2006), 179-97. Week 7: Virtues of Thought (NE Book VI) Pakaluk Ch. 7, Hardie Ch. 11, Broadie Ch. 4, Urmson Ch. 6, Bostock Ch. 4, Hughes Ch. 5. Also: 4

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Coope, Ursula: Why Does Aristotle Think Ethical Virtue is Required for Practical Wisdom? Phronesis 57.2 (2012), 142-63. Lorenz, H. Virtue of Character in Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics. Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy 37 (2010). (Connects Aristotles discussion of phronsis in Book 6 with his views on the nature of character virtue and decision.) *Sorabji, R. Aristotle on the Role of Intellect in Virtue in Rorty (ed.). Week 8: Weakness of Will and Self-Control (NE Book VII 1-10) Pakaluk Ch. 8, Hardie Ch. 12-3, Broadie Ch. 5, Urmson Ch. 7, Bostock Ch. 6, Hughes Ch. 7. Also: Dahl, Norman O. Aristotle on Action, Practical Reason and Weakness of Will, in A Companion to Aristotle, G. Anagnostopoulos (ed.) (2009), 498-511. Price, A. Acrasia and Self-Control in Kraut (ed.) (2006), 234-54. Toner, Christopher: Akrasia Revisited: An Interpretation and Defense of Aristotle, The Southern Journal of Philosophy 41 (2003), 283-306. Weeks 910: Friendship (NE Books VIII-IX) Pakaluk Ch. 9, Hardie Ch. 15, Urmson Ch. 9. Bostock Ch. 8, Hughes Ch. 8. Also: Curzer, H. Aristotle and the Virtues (Oxford UP, 2012), Ch. 12-3. *Cooper, John M. Aristotle on the Forms of Friendship in his Reason and Emotion. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1999), Ch. 14. *----. Friendship and the Good in Aristotle in his Reason and Emotion. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1999), Ch. 15. Hitz, Zena. Aristotle on Self-Knowledge and Friendship, Philosophers Imprint 11.12 (2011), 128. Pakaluk, M. Friendship, in A Companion to Aristotle, G. Anagnostopoulos (ed.) (2009), 47182. Sherman, Nancy: Aristotle on Friendship and the Shared Life, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 47.2 (1987), 589-613. Whiting, Jennifer: The Nicomachean Account of Philia in Kraut (ed.) (2006), 276-304. Week 11: Pleasure (NE VII 11-14 and X 1-5) Pakaluk Ch. 10, Hardie Ch. 14, Broadie Ch. 6, Urmson Ch. 8, Bostock Ch. 7, Hughes Ch. 9. Also: Frede, Dorothea. Pleasure and Pain in Aristotles Ethics in Kraut (ed.) (2006), 255-75. Owen, G.E.L. Aristotelian Pleasures. Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 72 (1971/72), 135-52. Reprinted in M. Nussbaum (ed.), Logic, Science and Dialectic (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1986), 334-46. Rorty, Amlie O. The Place of Pleasure in Aristotles Ethics, Mind 83 (1974), 481-93.

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Rudebusch, G. Pleasure, in A Companion to Aristotle, G. Anagnostopoulos (ed.) (2009), 40418. Strohl, Matthew. Pleasure as Perfection: Nicomachean Ethics 10.4-5, Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy 41 (2012). Week 12: Happiness and the Human Good Revisited (NE X 6-9) Many of the items listed under Week 2 will be relevant to this topic. See also: Pakaluk Ch. 11, Hardie Ch. 16, Broadie Ch. 7, Urmson Ch. 10, Bostock Ch. 9. And also: *Ackrill, J. Aristotle on Eudaimonia, in Rorty (ed.) (1981), Essays on Aristotles Ethics. Bush, Stephen: Divine and Human Happiness in the Nicomachean Ethics, Philosophical Review 2008, 49-75. *Cooper, J. Contemplation and Happiness: A Reconsideration, Synthese 72 (1987), 187-216. Reprinted in his Reason and Emotion (Princeton University Press, 1999), Ch. 9. Lawrence, Gavin. Aristotle and the Ideal Life, Philosophical Review 102 (1993), 1-34. *Richardson Lear, G. Happy Lives and the Highest Good: An Essay on Aristotles Nicomachean Ethics (Princeton UP, 2005). Sauv-Meyer, Susan: Living for the Sake of an Ultimate End, in Miller (ed.), 47-65. Scott, Dominic. Aristotle on Well-Being and Intellectual Contemplation. Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 73 (suppl.), 1999, 225-42. Wood, James: Contemplating the Beautiful: The Practical Importance of Theoretical Excellence in Aristotles Ethics, Journal of the History of Philosophy 49.4 (2011), 391-412. The Reception of Aristotles Ethics: Hursthouse, Rosalind: Human Nature and Aristotelian Virtue Ethics, Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplement 70 (2012), 169-88.