THE FOLIO SOCIETY

Aristotle, pupil of Plato and tutor to the young Alexander the Great, was an extraordinary polymath. Restlessly curious about the world around him and man's place in it, he wrote on a wealth of subjects, including ethics, natural science, logic, psychology, politics and aesthetics. 'The profundity and originality of Aristotle's writings', A. C. Grayling observes, 'make them supreme documents of the Western tradition.'

The Nicomachean Ethics remains part of the ongoing debate about how we can make a success of our lives. Money, eating and sex are pleasurable activities, but true happiness, Aristotle argues, lies elsewhere. Through a series of brilliant character sketches - of the petty man, the vain man and the magnanimous man - he demonstrates a sharp perception of human emotions, acknowledging that 'it is easy to get angry ... or to give and spend money', but to feel or act towards someone 'in the right way' is 'a rare, laudable and fine achievement'. But what is so attractive about Aristotle's view is that it does not turn on a list of 'dos' and 'don'ts', instead offering practical guidance on how best to express our healthy needs and appetites. Challenging and stimulating, Aristotle's Ethics will richly reward anyone who seeks a deeper understanding of human nature. As Dante remarked, he is 'the master of those who know'.