Philosophic Classics, Volume I: Ancient Philosophy

by Forrest E. Baird (Editor), Walter Kaufmann

Esteemed for providing the best available translations, Philosophic Ancient Philosophy, features complete works or complete sections of the most important works by the major thinkers, as well as shorter samples from transitional thinkers. First published in 1961, Forrest E. Baird's revision of Philosophic Classics, Pearson Education's long-standing anthology (available in split volumes), continues the tradition of providing generations of students with high quality course material. Using the complete works, or where appropriate, complete sections of works, this anthology allows philosophers to speak directly to students. For more information on the main combined anthology, or the additional period volumes, please see Philosophic From Plato to Derrida, 6/E 0205783864 Philosophic Classics, Volume Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy, 6/E 0205783902 Philosophic Classics, Volume Modern Philosophy, 6/E 0205783899

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Classics

558 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[emmmma berverrr · Rating 2 out of 5]

if i had to struggle through this whole book i am at least going to log it on goodreads ugh

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really a very good collection. The material on the pre-Socratics is certainly enjoyable for its quirkiness. Pre-Socratic philosophy I think is rather undervalued, as its approach - the searching of an underlying cause for the natural world - is very much the fetal beginnings of the scientific inquiry which continued with Aristotle and arose in the Western world so many years afterward. Going from the inquiries of the pre-Socratics to the other-worldliness of Plato and his forms, and then back to Aristotle's attempts at natural science is a fun journey that shows the range which still informs today's philosophical undertakings. I had this text for a class, so I am really not sure how well the Hellenistic schools are treated, since we sort of rushed over them, but there seems to be a solid overview. My main problem is that the translation for Aristotle's Physics and Metaphysics is so bad as to be downright unreadable. The first truly understandable bit comes with the Nicomachean Ethics, which is a shame since the Metaphysics concerns so many interesting ideas while also being the titular text for an entire branch of philosophy. A good overview of the ancients, but you will need extra material if you want to walk with the Peripatetics.

[Rick Ludwig · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read about a third of this book and am glad that I did. However, I will have to be in a particularly scholarly mood when I pick it up to continue. I got up through Socrates and Plato, but enjoyed things less when the philosophy became more Plato's than Socrates' s.

[Alex Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good compilation, it touches some major high notes from both well-known and more obscure ancient philosophers. The only real complaint is that the translations of Plato and Aristotle from the Greek read rather awkwardly. I'd suggest getting an earlier edition where this isn't the case.

[Bria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man, if those Greeks had actually known anything, they would have been really smart!

[Izumi Cullenaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently reading this book and enjoying it a lot.Though many parts are not complete but still very helpful.:-)