The Peripatetics

This is an accessible and reliable introduction to a little-known, but historically pivotal, tradition within ancient thought: the followers of Aristotle from his immediate successors to the great commentator Alexander of Aphrodisias. Baltussen is particularly interesting on the question of authority. He shows that allegiance to Aristotle was compatible with originality, and charts disagreements between the Peripatetics as well as their attempts to defend the Aristotelian position against rival schools. Ultimately Aristotle would become "the" philosopher, and study of his works would become synonymous with philosophy itself; Baltussen explains the pre-history of that development. - Professor Peter Adamson, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany "...it is clear that this new book by Han Baltussen well serves its purpose, namely, to become an introductory reading for students and scholars interested in the development of an important but relatively neglected tradition." - Eugene Afonasin, Novosibirsk State University, Russia, in the Bryn Mawr Classical Review

Han Baltussen is Hughes Professor of Classics at the University of Adelaide, Australia. After completing his PhD at Utrecht (Netherlands), he held postdoctoral positions in Utrecht, Washington, and London. His research interests include intellectual history and the history of ideas, as well as ancient philosophy.

Sources and Abbreviations Preface 1 Aristotles Heirs 2 The Natural World and its (hidden) Foundations 3 Things and Words: Language, Logic and Reasoning 4 Ethics and Politics: On Morality and Citizenship 5 Continuity and Criticism in the Peripatos 6 Intellectual Context: Rivals and Devotees 7 Epilogue: From Theophrastus to Alexander of Aphrodisias Appendix A: Known Peripatetics 322 BCE 250 CE Appendix B: Modern Editions & Commentaries on the Peripatetics Bibliography Index