ABSTRACT
Aristotle, born in Macedonia, studied for two decades with Plato in the Academy, the school Plato had founded in Athens. A towering figure as Plato could have been expected to produce mere disciples, but Aristotle developed his own comprehensive philosophical system, opposed in many respects to that of his teacher and so powerful in its own right that throughout history its impact has rivaled Plato's. The Nicomachean Ethics, named after Aristotle's son Nicomachus, is widely regarded as one of the great books of moral philosophy. Aristotle grounds morality in human nature, viewing the good as the fulfillment of the human potential to live well. But, as generations of thinkers have found, Aristotle's work richly repays whatever effort it requires of the reader. The excellent translation from the Greek is by the eminent scholar Martin Ostwald, who taught at Swarthmore College. His version of the text helps to render it as accessible as possible.
