The Oxford Handbook of Aristotle

The Oxford Handbook of Aristotle provides a technical examination of the Stagirite’s surviving corpus, emphasizing the integration of philological precision with philosophical analysis. Christopher Shields assembles scholarship that addresses Aristotle’s foundational work in categorical logic, hylomorphic metaphysics, and the teleological structures of biological organisms. The volume tracks his arguments on the nature of the soul as the form of the body and his virtue-based approach to ethics and political association. Contributors utilize textual exegesis to clarify his methodology, particularly his use of dialectic and the pursuit of first principles across diverse scientific disciplines.

This collection serves advanced students and professional philosophers who require a detailed map of contemporary Aristotelian research. Readers gain a functional understanding of how ancient Greek linguistic nuances settle modern interpretative disputes regarding substance and causation. By studying these entries, a scholar acquires the tools to navigate the internal tensions in the Aristotelian system, moving from the mechanics of the syllogism to the complexities of contemplative activity. The text provides a rigorous grounding for anyone engaged in classical scholarship or the history of Western philosophy.

Deep, contemplative and open-ended; a demanding read.

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