Published in the 4th century BCE, “Politics” by Aristotle is a foundational work in political philosophy that examines the structure and purpose of the state. Aristotle argues that humans are inherently political beings and explores different forms of government, including monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. He emphasizes the role of virtue and education in governance and considers the relationship between the individual and the state. The work also discusses economic structures, the role of slavery, and the concept of citizenship, laying the groundwork for later political thought.
Politics
My Thoughts
I find Aristotle to be a master of classification and observation. This narrative was delivered in “books” which seem to be delivered as a series of lectures. Of course, it was so long ago that we aren’t quite sure what form they were in while Aristotle delivered them. Who knows how much was lost in time or through translation. Again, it would be helpful to know Greek since there is so much nuance of meaning that I believe is missing.
I find I want to stop and ask questions as he is going along a train of thought. That it can certainly be frustrating to read. I should spend more time to wrestle with the ideas, but I’m not sure I have that much attention span at the moment.
Published in 2008, “Masters of Greek Thought: Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle” is a 36-lecture course by Professor Robert C. Bartlett that delves into the philosophies of these three seminal figures. The course examines Socrates’ method of inquiry and his focus on ethical questions, Plato’s development of the theory of forms and his vision of an ideal state, and Aristotle’s extensive contributions across various fields, including logic, metaphysics, and ethics. Through these lectures, the course explores how each philosopher built upon the ideas of his predecessor, shaping the foundation of Western philosophical thought.
Masters of Greek Thought: Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle
My Thoughts
My head hurts… Honestly, this lecture series really slowed my intake of information as I was grappling with the concepts and implications of these differing perspectives. Layer on a few thousand years of criticism and experience and it is surprising how well the ideas have held up.
It is very hard to identify a takeaway from this experience as I’m not through processing all of it. Professor Bartlett does an admirable job of pointing these roots of Western thought, but having grown up in the West, very little was new or surprising.
Recommendation
This series requires time to derive the value. However, it was worth it.
Published in around 335 BCE (as a treatise, not a book in the modern sense) “How to Tell a Story” by Aristotle is not a book Aristotle himself wrote, but rather a modern work summarizing and interpreting his ideas from Poetics, Aristotle’s influential treatise on storytelling and drama.
How to Tell a Story
My Thoughts
Interesting notes able were the interesting stories are those that can be related to but not too predicable. Don’t have too much plot or you risk losing your audience. Use plot points that are possible and believable. Keep the voice of the author to a minimum and allow the characters to tell the story. There was a large amount of time spent on the formation of words and their placement in the work. This isn’t too much of a surprise as the ancient writers were poets. For example, Aristotle says the iambic is the closest meter to common speech and therefore should be used if the author seeks for clarity. This type of thought seems foreign to my modern sense of writing which is more focused on meaning than meter. It’s a pity I don’t speak Greek so I could see the applications of the works.
Recommendation
Very interesting read. I think this could stand reasonably well today.
Published in 2021 “How to Innovate: An Ancient Guide to Creative Thinking”, edited by Armand D’Angour, draws on Aristotle’s philosophical concepts to explore the nature of creativity, problem-solving, and innovation. This is a modern work interpreting Aristotle’s methods and ideas. The book delves into how Aristotle’s views on rhetoric, ethics, and practical reasoning can inspire fresh thinking in contemporary challenges. By examining ancient wisdom, the text provides insights into fostering ingenuity, addressing obstacles, and applying logical yet imaginative approaches to innovation in various fields.
How to Innovate
My Thoughts
I don’t know that I came away with anything practical in this work. There seemed to be a number of anecdotes and various ideas spread throughout the book but there wasn’t much of a takeaway. For example, the image on the cover was Aristotle’s famed “Eureka” moment of figuring out how to discover the volume of a complex object. The story was told but there wasn’t much in the way of how to apply the principles to everyday life. Perhaps I’ve read too much on the subject of creative thinking to notice the point the author was trying to make.
Believed to be written around 375 BC, Plato’s “The Republic” is a foundational philosophical text that explores the nature of justice, the structure of an ideal society, and the role of individuals within it. Written as a Socratic dialogue, it primarily features Socrates engaging with various interlocutors on topics such as justice, governance, education, and the human soul. The text introduces key concepts, including the tripartite structure of the soul, the allegory of the cave, and the theory of forms. Plato uses these ideas to argue for a society governed by philosopher-kings, where rationality and wisdom guide decisions for the collective good. The Republic remains a seminal work in Western philosophy, influencing discussions on ethics, politics, and epistemology.
The Republic
My Thoughts
When reading through Socrates’s proofs, I feel like a steel ring is put in my nose and I’m led calmly along to the slaughter. This was even more the case as I was listening to it via audiobook. So often through the text, I wanted to stop Socrates and make contrary points. Or at least grab the interrogator and slap him a few times for his one word replies. The subject matter in the narrative is treated as black and white, but there is so much gray, it was very difficult to move on to another topic. I wanted to engage more on reflect on it much more than I took to the time to do so. I guess people have been engaging with it for over two thousand years so maybe I shouldn’t feel too bad about it.
I took a course on this work that had an interesting take on person of Socrates. Namely, Plato invented Socrates to establish a groundwork and then build off of that work. His “teacher” was in fact his creation which would speak even more to the genius of Plato and his rhetorical abilities. That thought in mind extensively colored the reading and caused my perspective to be even more contrary than my norm.
Recommendation
This is seminal importance to western thought and, as such, deserves some time and thought. However, it will take time and thought so I would recommend to plan accordingly.
Believed to date from the 8th century BCE, “The Odyssey” is attributed to the poet Homer. The Odyssey is an epic poem that follows the Greek hero Odysseus as he attempts to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Over the course of ten years, Odysseus encounters numerous obstacles, including mythical creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, the enchantress Circe, and the Sirens, as well as divine interventions from gods like Poseidon and Athena. Meanwhile, his wife Penelope and son Telemachus contend with suitors vying for Penelope’s hand, believing Odysseus to be dead. The poem explores themes of loyalty, perseverance, cunning, and the human struggle against fate. Written in dactylic hexameter, The Odyssey remains a cornerstone of Western literature, reflecting the values and culture of ancient Greece.
The Odyssey
My Thoughts
I have read this before but this time I listen to it on audio book. I believe I was able to enjoy it much more this way as I wasn’t forced to sound through all the names and places. If I were to do it again, I believe the best way would be to read it while listening to the narration for the best effect.
However, I can’t really say I enjoyed it. My reading of this work is much more in line with wanting to have a familiarity with the story rather than deriving joy from the process.
Our hero ‘Odysseus’ is consistently helped along by Athena herself and given several reassurances from Zeus. Odysseus is a manly man who is the Greek ideal. Smart, cunning, and extremely strong. If this were the 1980’s, he would be lifting his sword and saying, “By the power of Greyskull!” And then give us our moral for the day. Poseidon is angry with him because he had the nerve to blind the cyclops rather than be eaten like several of his crew. (While tragic in the moment, the loss of so many didn’t seem to be truly felt.) Unfortunately, men are hanging out at Odysseus’s home and are making a play for his wife. During which, they are all eating Odysseus’s food and bullying his staff. His son, Telemachus, is a pansy who can’t manage to throw them out. (In fairness, Telemachus does eventually get the nerve to help out, but he had wait for his father to return and clean house.) Now, does Odysseus just show up and toss them out? Of course not! He shows up as a beggar, gets abused, and then shows up everyone in a test of manhood. Then he kills the suitors, the staff who didn’t seem to miss him, and leaves again to fulfill the prophecy given to him in Hades.
As a modern reader, several of the ideals seem to be very familiar. A sense of justice for one. However, I would qualify it as Disney justice though because only the main protagonists receive justice. Some of the staff continued to pray for the return of Odysseus and they were rewarded, yet this is the exception. Most characters felt the sword of justice rather than rewards.
What was striking to me was the ancient world’s view of the gods. The sacrifices at every meal, the ability to offend one by pleasing another. That must have been a very confusing time to live.
All that said, I’m sure I missed a great deal as there are entire courses on this work. I will have to look into it a bit more.
Recommendation
It is worth the read. Not only is a cornerstone of Western thought, it is a mark of education and culture to understand the names and references.
Published in April of 2020, How to Think Like a Roman Emperor is a study on the meditations of Marcus Aurelius and stoicism in general. The book guides you through the history of stoicism and through some of it’s main tenets.
How to Think Like a Roman Emperor
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book and it was a compelling read. I felt the author did a great job of going through the histories and linking them to the present day. I also enjoyed that the author had come to my University and one of my employees had filmed him talking about the book. So I got a little bonus.
Tales as old as time… The Iliad, also known as the “Song of Ilium”, is an epic poem traditionally attributed to Homer in the 8th century BC. However, all of it is debatable. What isn’t debatable is it tells the story of the Trojan War, the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles, the climatic fight between Achilles and Hector, and all the Greed gods causing issues.
The Iliad
My Thoughts
My first thought was the translation I had was hilarious in terms of the wording. “Bite the dust,” “hurly- burly,” and other such gems were fun to come across in the Trojan setting. There were several Roman crossovers as well, “Juno” rather than “Hera” and so on. The biggest stars of this book was really Zeus and the rest of the gods. Everything was blamed on them and they were in every detail. They were constantly fighting and picked sides in the conflict.
Recommendation
It was pretty underwhelming to read but so important to Western culture that it is worth the time.
