Reading guide
2 readings
Aristotle’s inquiries into nature and life
Reading guide · 2 readings
These readings follow Aristotle from explaining natural things to judging human activity. They introduce particular arguments in Greek philosophy, and they keep open the questions raised by his explanations and by the social arrangements he defends.
Read together
From an end to an end worth pursuing
Distinguish what a process is for from whether a goal deserves pursuit. Read the explanatory and ethical arguments in order, keeping the objections each one raises.
Guided course · Module 5 · Lesson 23
What counts as explaining something?
Aristotle’s four causes answer different questions about one thing. A cup and a growing plant test what matter, form and an end can explain, including an end that no one consciously intends.
Guided course · Module 5 · Lesson 24
What would a flourishing life require?
Aristotle describes flourishing as a whole life shaped by habit, practical judgment and friendship. How do external conditions and political exclusions complicate that picture?