Aristotle's "Politics"
Second Edition
Abbreviations of Aristotle’s Works
I. Six Chapters to Living Well and Living Together
II. Book IV.1–2: The Four Kinds of Best and Aristotle’s Four Causes
III. Ethics and Politics
IV. What Can the Politics Tell Us About Politics?
1. Book I: Slavery and the Will to Power
I. Slavery: Incomplete Actions and Incomplete Souls
II. Slavery and Slavishness
III. Despotism
IV. Slavery, Despotism, and Human Nature
V. Natural Rulers, Political and Despotic
VI. Thumos: Domination and Friendship
VII. Aristotle’s Slavery and Contemporary Problems
2. Book II: Aristotle’s State as a Work of Art
I. The Ideal State and Its Problems
II. Property and a Unified Polis
III. Private Property, Ancient and Modern
IV. Property versus Education as a Unifying Force
V. The Modesty and Ambition of the Politics
VI. Politics as Practical, not Productive
VII. From the Preface to Politics to Politics Itself
3. The Justice of Book III and the Incompleteness of the Normative
I. Aristotle versus Liberalism: The Right and the Good
II. The Meaning of “Form” in Book III
III. The Definition of “Citizen”: Book III.1–3
IV. The Good Man and the Good Citizen: Book III.4–5
V. The Kinds of Constitutions: Book III.6–8
VI. Justice as Proportional to Merit: Book III.9–13
VII. The Rule of the Best versus the Rule of Law: Book III.14–18
VIII. Conclusion
4. Practical Knowledge and the Four Orientations to the Best 107
I. The Kinds of Constitutions: Book IV.3–10
II. Polity and the Best in General
III. The Best in Particular Circumstances: Book IV.12–13
IV. Formal Possibilities and the Best in Particular Circumstances: Book IV.14–16
V. Conclusion
5. Factions and the Paradox of Aristotelian Practical Science
I. Asymmetries, Epistemological and Ethical
II. Faction and Constitutional Change
III. Book V.1–4: Faction in General
IV. Book V.4: A Fifth Cause?
V. Book V.5–7: Faction and Particular Constitutions
VI. Book V.8–9: Preservation (and Improvement?)
VII. Preserving the Constitution and the Arts of Appearance
VIII. Stopping Factions versus Preserving the Constitution
IX. The Revolt of the Just
X. Political Philosophy: Inside or Outside the Polis?
XI. Philosophy and Phronēsis: Logos and Ēthos
6. The Best Life and the Common Life
I. Book VII.1
II. Nature versus Justice
III. Book VII.2
IV. Book VII.3
V. Book VII.4–7
VI. Book VII.8
VII. Book VII.13
VIII. Book VIII: Virtue and Music
IX. The Ideal and the Practical
Conclusion: People as Political Animals
Notes
Works Cited
Index
Philosophy: History and Classic Works
Political Science: Classic Political Thought
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