Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Retrieving the Ancients tells the story of the first philosophers in the West.

• A clear and engaging introduction to ancient Greek philosophy.
  
• Tells the story of the first philosophers in the West, from Thales to Aristotle.
  
• Has a strong sense of narrative drive.
  
• Treats the history of ancient Greek philosophy dialectically, as a conversation in which each thinker responds to and moves beyond his predecessors.
  
• Argues that the works of the ancients are as valuable today as ever.

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent introduction to Greek philosophy
This is a really good book for those wanting to gain an understanding of the early Western ideas of philosophy. Roochnik guides the reader from the "founders" in the so-called Milesian School all the way through to Aristotle. Having read Plato earlier in life, it was quite interesting to learn how the dialectic that culminated in Platonic and Aristotelian philosophy initially formed in the Pre-Socratic days of Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Heraclitus, Parmenides, and others. I'm especially fascinated with Heraclitus and his idea of flux...the perpetual becoming of all things. This idea is also presented in the Buddhist doctrine of annica, which outlines reality as fundamentally impermanent and indeed, in continuous motion and change.

Roochnik goes on to describe the many additional thoughts that grew out of the early naturalist ideas that were themselves responses to the mythic framework that had been at the forefront of Greek culture for centuries. A great deal of the contemplation surrounded notions of the arche, or First Principle, of the world and all creation. The naturalists of the Milesian School looked to the elements - fire, water, air, and earth - to find the foundation of all things, while other philosophers posited an "unmoved mover".

The ancient Greek thinkers offer a great view of our earliest inklings of higher thought as a species and the intellectual steps taken to arrive at the epistemological foundation that would ultimately lead to science as we know it today. In my opinion, Retrieving the Ancients is an excellent introduction to this area of study.

profound, lucid, moving
If there's a more graceful, convincing, learned and moving introduction to ancient thought out there, I don't know it. This work is philosophically deep, and yet not cold to the language, style and emotions that moved the various authors (Presocratics, Plato, Aristotle) to philosophize, teach and write. Roochnik lays out the history of ancient thought in four chapters (Presoc., Sophists and Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle). Moreover he refers to contemporary thinkers, and to our near contemporary Nietzsche, from time to time, in order to show the relevance of classical thought to philosophy today. (He also briefly compares The Symposium to Macbeth.) The book culminates in a defence of Aristotle that I find convincing (because, as I see it, Aristotle combines philosophical insight with a interlocking picture of how things hang together, while giving us a robustly commonsensical account of what the human animal is, and can be). But the chapter on Plato is sympathetic and compelling too, if unorthodox -- because it finds a tension in Plato's discussion of the city between the ideal and real (usually expositors find only an emphasis on the ideal).

Anyhow, here's a snippet of the writing; Roochnik has just quoted Heraclitus on lice in fragment B56:

"Knowledge is like lice. If it is grasped, it is lost. Only if it is missed is it kept. There is a necessary elusiveness in Heraclitus' writing. It is meant to articulate the fluid alterations of temporal beings. It is designed to do justice to the negations of temporal flow. His logos, therefore, must be enigmatic. Were it not, it would be false." (37.) ..."Heraclitean flux seems to shake the ground under our feet. Nothing endures. Such a thought may well cause despair. If nothing endures, then one might conclude that nothing matters. But Heraclitus' own writings do not suggest a trace of despondency." (37) ...

See? Clear and smart. I recommend this book to many, even ambitious grade 12 students, or older curious neophyte generalists, as well as to philosophy students.
... Read more

Product Description
This anthology presents the early sages of Western philosophy and science who paved the way for Plato and Aristotle and their successors. Democritus's atomic theory of matter, Zeno's dazzling "proofs" that motion is impossible, Pythagorean insights into mathematics, Heraclitus's haunting and enigmatic epigrams-all form part of a revolution in human thought that relied on reasoning, forged the first scientific vocabulary, and laid the foundations of Western philosophy. Jonathan Barnes has painstakingly brought together the surviving Presocratic fragments in their original contexts, utilizing the latest research and a newly discovered major papyrus of Empedocles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Review of Barnes's "Early Greek Philosophy"
It should be noted that there are two works on Presocratic philosophy by Dr. Barnes: this work, and a more esoteric work entitled "The Presocratic Philosophers."

That said, this work, the exoteric counterpart, serves is primary purpose: appealing to the general pulic. It features an excellent collection of quotations from a variety of sources. Barnes is cautious about the validity of this sources, and admits their dubious character where necessary. His introduction gives an adequate overview of contemporary scholarship on and interpretations of presocratic thought, and its place in the history of philosophy.

The work lacks two things. First, because it is exoteric in its design, it lacks a vigorous interpretation of the texts given, beyond the short introduction. Second, its organization is often inadequate; arranged by subject in some places, and sources in other places. The reader is left to organize and interpret the information much by their own discretion. Whether this is ultimately an advantage or disadvantage, I will not here decide.

Philosophy...before there was philosophy!
This volume covers all the Greek pre-socratic philosophers providing all of their existing fragments, sayings, epigrams, quotes and teachings.

It was originally published in 1987.This is the second edition, revised in 2001. Jonathan Barnes says that he has re-translated everything and re-tested it to the Greek.He also has put the fragments and sayings in bold, which he did not in the first edition.Everything is spaced appropriately, italics given when explaining, and all the sources are provided under each saying. An interesting addition is the recently found papyrus of Empedocles!

Philosophers include:

Hesiod, Epicharmus, Pherecydes -(precursors); Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Pythagoras (and 5th century Pythagoreans), Alcmaeon, Xenophanes, Heraclitus, Parmenides, Melissus, Zeno, Empedocles, Hippasus, Philolaus, Ion, Anaxagoras, Archelaus, Leucippus, Democritus and Diogenes.

The text is lucid, readable, enjoyable and profound. Also included is a synopsis the life of each philosopher, a wonderful introduction, an appendix and 3 different indexes at the end!

I commend Penguin and Mr. Barnes for updating this amazing edition!

the definitive volume
There is not much existing material written by the Presocratic Greek philosophers, but most of it is here, presented in its proper context and without a lot of undue commentary.The book simply presents the material, you can decide what it means.If you are interested in the Presocratics, this is the essential volume.Just be prepared: 99% of what is known about these ancient figures comes from references penned by later Greeks or even Romans two or three centuries after the fact.

The wonder of what is that it is
Philosophy begins in wonder ' at what is that it is'. The Pre-Socratics at the very beginning of the historical enterprise of philosophy( love of wisdom) contradict each other in presenting total visions of the world. For Parmenides all is one unchanging, and the Real is this Eternal Stasis. For Heraclitus " we step and do not step into the same river, we are and are not" All is change. In this way in these contradictions these philosophers set the stage for the questionings of Socrates and the synthesis of Plato and the explorations of Aristotle.

Not that great.
Let the publisher be your guide.

It's by Penguin Press -- it's for someone who's browses a half-price book store and gets the idea that some familiarity with pre-socratic philsophy is something they want to add to their lives.

It lacks the critical richness of other works (I enjoy Patricia Curd et. al's ANCIENT GREEKPHILOSOPHY) -- so if you want depth, you won't find it here.

I read this book as part of an ancient greek philosophy class and I hated virtually everything on the reading list.This book was part of said curs-ed list. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the first comprehensive guide and only substantial undergraduate level introduction to ancient Greek ethics, covering the ethical theories of all the major philosophers (including Socrates, Plato, Aristotle) and schools (Stoics, Skeptics, Epicureans, Pyrrhonism) from the earliest times to the Hellenistic philosophers analyzing their main arguments and assessing their legacy. ... Read more

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Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy is a volume of original articles on all aspects of ancient philosophy. The articles may be of substantial length, and include critical notices of major books. OSAP is now published twice yearly, in both hardback and paperback. ... Read more

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One of the great fears many of us face is that despite all our effort and striving, we will discover at the end that we have wasted our life. In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient Rome, and shows how its insight and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives.
In A Guide to the Good Life, Irvine offers a refreshing presentation of Stoicism, showing how this ancient philosophy can still direct us toward a better life. Using the psychological insights and the practical techniques of the Stoics, Irvine offers a roadmap for anyone seeking to avoid the feelings of chronic dissatisfaction that plague so many of us. Irvine looks at various Stoic techniques for attaining tranquility and shows how to put these techniques to work in our own life. As he does so, he describes his own experiences practicing Stoicism and offers valuable first-hand advice for anyone wishing to live better by following in the footsteps of these ancient philosophers. Readers learn how to minimize worry, how to let go of the past and focus our efforts on the things we can control, and how to deal with insults, grief, old age, and the distracting temptations of fame and fortune. We learn from Marcus Aurelius the importance of prizing only things of true value, and from Epictetus we learn how to be more content with what we have.
Finally, A Guide to the Good Life shows readers how to become thoughtful observers of their own life.If we watch ourselves as we go about our daily business and later reflect on what we saw, we can better identify the sources of distress and eventually avoid that pain in our life. By doing this, the Stoics thought, we can hope to attain a truly joyful life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Great for Beginners
This is a thorough and well-written introduction to stoicism. Prof. Irvine provides both historical context and a discussion of the major tenets of stoicism. The discussion of Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius were excellent and the common sense approach to topics in ethics including the nature of the good life made this a joy to read. The addition of suggestions for the practice of stoicism was a plus.A good book for both beginners and those looking for a refreshing approach to the subject.

Practical, useable, reasonable,
A wealth of Stoic info and practice between these covers. If you're a "natural" Stoic, if Stoicism excites you and you're drawn to it, if you're "green", if you have always had a sneaking suspicion that the values you grew up with--the attainment of wealth, power, popularity, status, advancement, reputation--really will never bring you lasting contentment, you will find much to support you in this book via information, logic, reasoning, quotes from Stoics and especially...practices.

Epictetus, Seneca, et. al., give us prescriptions for medicine which will bring contentment, tranquility, joy, inner peace. The author has turned these prescriptions into practices/pills which we have to "take" in order to receive the benefit. There are relatively few practices--I won't go into detail about them--and they turn attitudes and values upside down! And, in order TO have something different, experience something different, we do have to make changes. These changes are in the realm of challenging attitudes, perceptions and values which do NOT bring tranquility.

If you're still thinking that a new car, a new job, a raise, a new spouse, a new house, a move to another part of the country, a _____, will bring contentment but are beginning to question these values, read this book. If you already are out of the "acquisition = happiness" equation, then this book may give you some added means and methods of finding delight in the simple and ordinary. After all, the simple and ordinary are always available.

Meh.
The author does a pretty good job of introducing the reader to the history of Stoicism. The only thing that makes this book a 3 star instead of a 4 or 5 star is the way the author broke down some of his ideas. He went into way too much detail explaining things that I felt were obvious. I enjoyed most of the book though and would recommend it to anyone as a basic introduction to Stoicism.

Irvine did a valuable service with this book.
I think Dr. Irvine did a valuable service by writing this book.I had heard quotes from Stoics over time but I had never read a description of most of the major Stoic techniques for the objective of attaining tranquillity.This book provides such a description.It also dispells myths about what Stoicism is.I appreciate the fact that Dr. Irvine gave more than one argument for each psychological technique or bit of advice.I am convinced to give all of the techniques and advice a try.I will continue to read parts of this book over time.And, I will read some of the books that Dr. Irvine included in the chapter entitled "A Stoic Reading Program."I highly recommend this book to anyone who is trying to deal with depression, anxiety, or stress.

A dangerous book
This is a dangerous book, one of those so good that you will be led to buy others on the same subject. After reading it, I bought and am reading works by both Seneca and Marcus Aurelius. Where it will end I cannot say.

This is a book that can allow you to deal with the urge to be "good" and moral in a post-Christian world. If you feel the need for morality but have difficulty with faith and the nature of the creator of the universe (Are you an agnostic?), this book can be a viable guide and inspiration. BTW, stoicism is not a dour, dumb acceptance of disasters, but rather a joyful approach allowing one to appreciate the good and joyous in life rather than dwelling on the misfortunes of the human condition.

I can heartily recommend it ... Read more

Product Description

Widely praised for its accessibility and its concentration on the metaphysical issues that are most central to the history of Greek philosophy, Greek Philosophy: Thales to Aristotle offers a valuable introduction to the works of the Presocratics, Plato, and Aristotle.

For the Third Edition, Professor Allen has provided new translations of Socrates' speech in the Symposium and of the first five chapters of Aristotle's Categories, as well as new selections bearing on Aristotle's Theory of Infinity, Continuity, and Discreteness. The book also contains a general introduction which sets forth Professor Allen's distinctive and now widely accepted interpretation of the development of Greek philosophy and science, along with selective bibliography, and lists of suggested readings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

not what was promised
The book's condition was a little more beat up than I would have liked to see it in. Please honestly tell what condition you are sending the book in, not just, very-good for everything.

Allen's Greek Philosophy
For a teacher willing to present his or her own analysis of the period, but looking for an inexpensive source of well-translated key texts from the pre-Socratics to Aristotle, this collection is unbeatable. At 450 pages it contains more than enough core reading for a one-term course. Moreover, it includes the 'unmoved mover' argument from the 'Phaedrus', which its competitors, even at twice the length and thrice the price do not.

quality book of original texts
This book does not deal with analysis, it is a book of the texts of the ancients. The textual translations are accurate, and the sources Allen provides for further research are sound. It is an inexpensive quality wayto learn the extant writings of the Ancients. If you are looking foranalysis or explanation, though -- look elsewhere. ... Read more

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A concise anthology for a survey of ancient philosophy that ranges from the Presocratics through the Neoplatonists, Introductory Readings in Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy features a judicious selection of key works from a philosophical tradition that extends from roughly 600 BCE to 600 CE. Among this collection's hallmarks are a previously unpublished translation of Plato's Meno by C.D.C. Reeve, substantial selections from his 2004 translation of Plato's Republic, and a rich offering of other translations noted for their accuracy and accessibility. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A decent book.
The book is very thorough, but monotonous, making it a very boring read. Classroom material obviously, so if you have a class with this book, be prepared to be EXTREMELY bored.

good introduction
this introduction is not a book with views of (modern) scientists about ancient philosophy, but gives the relevant texts from the ancient philosophers themselves. The choice of the texts is excellent and i will use this book for my introductory course on ancient philosophy at my University. ... Read more

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An important volume connecting classical studies with feminism, Feminism and Ancient Philosophy provides an even-handed assessment of the ancient philosophers' discussions of women and explains which ancient views can be fruitful for feminist theorizing today. The papers in this anthology range from classical Greek philosophy through the Hellenistic period, with the predominance of essays focusing on topics such as the relation of reason and the emotions, the nature of emotions and desire, and related issues in moral psychology. The volume contains some new, ground-breaking essays on Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics, as well as previously published pieces by established scholars like Martha Nussbaum and Julia Annas. It promises to be of interest to an interdisciplinary audience including those working in classics, ancient philosophy, and feminist theory. ... Read more

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This anthology is intended as a core text for courses in aesthetics or philosophy of art. It contains a wealth of readings from both classic and contemporary sources, and aims to present substantial selections from those texts rather than mere "snippets." Readings are organized historically within four broad themes so that students can see how concepts of art have evolved and been debated. Each reading is introduced by the authors, who suggest connections between the reading and others in the anthology. Unlike other anthologies on the market, The Philosophy of Art is both comprehensive and affordable, making it the ideal book for course use. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

What i asked for
I received what i asked for, although it took longer than i expected it was delivered within the set time and the description was accurate

Review
The book was in great condition except for a razor slice in the back. It was shipped in a timley manner as well.

extremely helpful
this book is extremely helpful for my class and the amount of time it took to get here was a life saver seeing it showed up right before my first assignment it was also much cheaper than anywhere else which saved me more than half the money i had.

Aesthetics for the True Student
This book is filled with primary texts. It does not contain a guide per se to understanding each selection. However, I think this is exactly what is needed in a philosophy anthology. The selections were definitely limited to ancient to modern texts and this leaves out post modern writings on aesthetics. I enjoyed the book it contained a good range of thinkers from Tolstoy, Hume and Kant. ... Read more

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Ancient Greece was the cradle of philosophy in the Western tradition. Meet the Philosophers of Ancient Greece brings the thoughts and lives of the pioneers of Western philosophy down from their sometimes remote heights and introduces them to a modern audience. Comprising of seventy essays, written by internationally distinguished scholars in a lively and accessible style, this book presents the values, ideas, wisdom and arguments of the most significant thinkers from the world of ancient Greece. Commencing with Thales of Miletus and continuing to the end of the Ancient Period of philosophy by way of Heraclitus, Parmenides, Protagoras, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Archimedes, Epictetus this book explores the major contributions of each philosopher as well as looking at archeological and historical sites where they lived, worked and thought. This book is an outstanding introduction to the world of the philosophers of Ancient Greece. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Meet the Philosophers of Ancient Greece
This easy to read book is a "Who is Who" in the development of western thought. It treats more than 50 of the ancient Greek philosophers and also explains the significance of 14 of the most well-known historical sites in ancient Greece. Each topic is individually treated by an international expert and, although written in a non-academic style, each topic has annotated footnotes which can lead the serious reader to more formal research. This handy little book is a must-have for readers and travelers to the region with even a casual interest in the history of western philosophy. ... Read more

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The Blackwell Guide to Ancient Philosophy provides a comprehensive treatment of the principal figures and movements of philosophy from its origins before Socrates, through the towering achievements of Plato and Aristotle, and into its final developments in late antiquity.

• Provides a comprehensive guide to ancient philosophy from the pre-Socratics to late antiquity.
  
• Written by a cast of distinguished philosophers.
  
• Covers the pre-Socratics, the sophistic movement, Epicureanism, academic skepticism, stoicism, and the neo-Platonists.
  
• Features an index and a comprehensive bibliography of both primary and secondary works.

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What is the nature of law?Does our obligation to obey the law extend to unjust laws?From what source do lawmakers derive legitimate authority?What principles should guide us in the design of political institutions?These essays by prominent contemporary philosophers explore how these questions were addressed by ancient political thinkers.Classical theories of human nature and their implications for political theory are examined, as is the meaning of freedom and coercion in Plato's thought and his idea that philosophers should be political rulers.Other essays ask what we can learn from ancient thinkers like Aristotle about the principles of constitutional design or the limits of political obligation. ... Read more

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Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy is a volume of original articles on all aspects of ancient philosophy. The articles may be of substantial length, and include critical notices of major books. OSAP is now published twice yearly, in both hardback and paperback. This volume covers a wide chronological range of ancient philosophy, from the Presocratics, Heraclitus and Anaxagoras, to Galen and Aspasius in the second century AD.At the core of the volume are five articles on Aristotle. ... Read more

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This volume offers a comprehensive survey of the main periods, schools, and individual proponents of scepticism in the ancient Greek and Roman world. The contributors examine the major developments chronologically and historically, ranging from the early antecedents of scepticism to the Pyrrhonist tradition. They address the central philosophical and interpretive problems surrounding the sceptics' ideas on subjects including belief, action, and ethics. Finally, they explore the effects which these forms of scepticism had beyond the ancient period, and the ways in which ancient scepticism differs from scepticism as it has been understood since Descartes. The volume will serve as an accessible and wide-ranging introduction to the subject for non-specialists, while also offering considerable depth and detail for more advanced readers. ... Read more

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Scepticism, a philosophical tradition that casts doubt on our ability to gain knowledge of the world and suggests suspending judgment in the face of uncertainty, has been influential since its beginnings in ancient Greece. Harald Thorsrud provides an engaging, rigorous introduction to the central themes, arguments, and general concerns of ancient Scepticism, from its beginnings with Pyrrho of Elis (ca. 360 B.C. -ca. 270 B.C.) to the writings of Sextus Empiricus in the second century A.D. Thorsrud explores the differences among Sceptics and examines in particular the separation of the Scepticism of Pyrrho from its later form--Academic Scepticism--the result of its ideas being introduced into Plato's Academy in the third century B.C. Steering an even course through the many differences of scholarly opinion surrounding Scepticism, the book also provides a balanced appraisal of the philosophy's enduring significance by showing why it remains so interesting and how ancient interpretations differ from modern ones.
Copub: Acumen Publishing Limited ... Read more

Product Description
All volumes of Professor Guthrie's great history of Greek philosophy have won their due acclaim. The most striking merits of Guthrie's work are his mastery of a tremendous range of ancient literature and modern scholarship, his fairness and balance of judgement and the lucidity and precision of his English prose. He has achieved clarity and comprehensiveness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Beginning of Western Philosophy
W. K. C. Guthrie's incredible series "A History of Greek Philosophy" begins here with Volume I: "The Earlier Presocratics and the Pythagoreans".Originally published in 1962, this volume, and the series continues to be reprinted today, and for good reason.Professor Guthrie manages to make the entire subject very readable and very informative.He provides tremendous notes as well as insights into his reasoning as to why he considers the information he provides to be correct.This is very important to the subject overall, but especially when covering the early philosophers, most of whom are only known through the words of others.

At first glance this book appears to be a very weighty 500 pages, but once one starts reading it they realize that Professor Guthrie is able to discuss the subject matter in a fairly easy to understand way.That is not to say that there aren't areas which are more difficult to follow due to the contrary information which different sources provide, but Professor Guthrie manages to navigate these areas with skill and without leaving the reader behind.

The volume opens with a couple of introductory chapters and then proceeds to take on the earliest philosophers, The Milesians.This chapter looks at Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes and though the information is scant, Guthrie collects the small fragments from many sources to put together a picture of these three very early philosophers.

It is the following chapter ("Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans") which is the real meat of this volume.At 200 pages it is a very detailed look at what is known, and not known about the philosophy/religion, its founder, and those who came a bit later.The chapter on The Milesians is easy to follow, partly because so little is known that there aren't contradicting sources for the most part, but with the Pythagoreans Guthrie has to fight against the biases of the sources in order to reach his conclusions, and he supports those conclusions very well.

After the Pythagoreans, the chapters on Alcmaeon (whom Guthrie separates from the Pythagoreans for good reason) and Xenophane, the poet/philosopher are fairly easy going, quite informative, and even entertaining to a certain degree.The volume then closes with a chapter on Heraclitus, which offers a very strong discussion on the differences of opinion on that philosopher, similar, though certainly not as complex as the chapter on the Pythagoreans.

This is a six volume series, which unfortunately ended with the passing of Professor Guthrie in 1981 and so it ends a bit prematurely but that doesn't change the value of the volumes which were published.Volume II picks up where this volume leaves off and finishes Guthrie's discussion of the Presocratics, but this volume can also stand on its own as a tremendous achievement.

To the Roots of Knowledge and Culture
One of the truly remarkable intellectual achievements of our time, Guthrie's magisterial six volume History of Greek Philosophy, is, within the compass of my reading, the most comprehensive rendering of the golden epoch of Western Philosophy available.The sheer magnitude of the research collected, sorted, and weighed here is enough to recommend, but this work offers much more than a survey of leading interpretations.Many a major commentary, ancient and modern, receives a fair hearing for each argument analyzed both in the text and in extensive notes.One only wishes Guthrie were eternal that he might have been able to include all that has and will come in the way of analysis since publication of these texts in the 1960's with the same judicious acumen.
On immersing oneself in these many pages, over and again, one is struck by the centrality and the exhaustive nature of the venture.While such a scope of endeavor is bound to be open to controversy on any number of particulars, and Guthrie is not without critics, the distance traversed is staggering, and the work, in its point-by-point detailed coverage, assumes an authority on the achievement of such breadth alone.But it is the analytic depth of Guthrie's treatment of the arguments that for me holds the greater value. For the many treasures on display in these pages shine ever more brightly due to the loving care with which they are presented in view of their developmental contexts.
Among the finer features of Guthrie is the headliner on each page, providing focus for the narrative, in the style of the annotated Jowett Plato. Organization of the chapters under topical rubrics contributes to the superior organization of the work itself and, along with the extensive Indexes, makes reference within this dense field blessedly user-friendly.
If you love Archaic (Pre-Socratic) Greek Philosophy like I do, I feel that there is no better practice than to regularly inter yourself in the first two volumes of Guthrie.I've been asked which is the best investment for a book on early Greek Philosophy.The best-known one-volume histories all have their virtues. Of these, Barnes is probably most useful, very good on the Eleatics and Xenophanes, not so comprehending of Herakleitos, the Milesians, and others. The writing tends to be nuanced in a very Anglo-analytic, somewhat technical, orientation.Kirk and Raven don't thrill me much either as writers or analysts, and make what a number of commentators feel are erroneous judgments. Not nearly as thorough as Guthrie, their book on balance is - sufficient.The old Burnet is quite good at times, but now has been antiquated on many points by later, more accurate readings (discussed in Guthrie).Nietzsche's study, translated as "Philosophy in the Tragic Age of the Greeks" is definitely worth a read (what did Nietzsche ever write that wasn't?), but was not intended as comprehensive scholarship.All considered, the first two volumes of Guthrie easily outpace the field, and for pure enjoyment of uniformly superb scholarship, copious citations, and solid, accessible writing, are more than worth the expensive price tag.Splurge! You're buying the best.

A word on the Pre- Socratics
My review relates to the one volume of it I have read on the pre- Socratics. It is a clearly written and richly informative work. It was also when I read it as an undergraduate many years ago inspiring. I remember the description of philosophy's beginning in the ' wonder of anything that it is '. i.e. the wonder of how there is anything , and everything at all. I too remember the Heraclitus - Parmenides division and how they anticipate the Platonean synthesis. I am not an expert in the field and can say nothing about the work's scholarship, but as an ordinary reader I can say it is a work that interests and enhances interest in the subject it covers.

The Achievement of a Lifetime's Work
This five-volume set is the most comprehensive treatment of the spectrum of Greek philosophy ever written; this is a man's life-work, a distillation of decades of scholarship. Necessarily, it's written in a rather academic style, and Professor Guthrie expected the reader to already be versed in the basics. But that is not an insurmountable obstacle. The section on the Pythagoreans in this first volume is a self-contained book unto itself and a terrific source of information on the minor adherents to Pythagoreanism, which I haven't been able to find anywhere else. Guthrie also thoroughly works over the competing interpretations of the oracular pronouncements of Heraclitus, and delves in depth into the ontologies of the Milesians. Although most of the footnotes contain information on dusty battles between (mostly German) scholars about etymological and ascriptive concerns, they are rewarding.

Outstanding
This six-volume history of Greek philosophy, which Guthrie unfortunately left unfinished, is a monument of scholarship. His knowledge of Greek is staggering, his treatments are thorough, and he is generally careful to letyou know where the facts leave off and interpretations begin. My onereservation is that he sometimes betrays more interest in historicalminutiae than in philosophy; for instance, his treatment of Plato (vols.4-5) attaches far too much importance to the order in which the dialogueswere written (as if we could be really sure of that!). And there's noquestion that these books are expensive and meant only for the seriousstudent. But if Greek philosophy is your passion, you can't overlook thesevolumes. ... Read more