Nicomachean Ethics

By: Aristotle

Narrated by: Matthew Josdal

Nicomachean Ethics is Aristotle’s most famous work on the subject of ethics and virtue. It is based on notes from Aristotle’s lectures at the Lyceum and may have been edited by or dedicated to his son, Nicomachus. Aristotle believed that ethical knowledge is not precise knowledge, like logic and mathematics, but general knowledge like nutrition and exercise. Since ethics is a practical discipline rather than a theoretical one, he thought that to become "good", one could not simply study what virtue is; one must actually be virtuous. Aristotle postulates that everything is done with some goal in mind and that goal is "good". The ultimate goal, which he calls the "Highest Good" is happiness.

Public Domain (P)2010 Alpha DVD LLC

Great text, lousy reading

How could the performance have been better?

The reader clearly had little familiarity with the text or Greek--many names were mispronounced--and he also always read out "i.e." or "e.g." instead of saying "that is" or "for instance."

Aristotle is always relevant

You would think that such ancient knowledge would be outdated and irrelevant. But it is not... Actually it is more relevant today than ever

Narration is not philosophy friendly

Narrator narrates The Text as İFLÂS he is vomitting some sorsa outcome of which is terrible for a philosophy book. (Has to but the Samet book from another narrator.)

The love of knowledge

I advice you hear The Great Courses lecture on Aristotle’s ethics first, it will help you digest this easier.

Great to Listen to, valuable when understood

I enjoyed the thoroughness of the text and was especially appreciative of the narrator not being of a British persuasion. I believe the classic works are overrun with British accents narrating them and could use more balance if for nothing more than variety and choice. Great audiobook all around.