Retrieving the Ancients - 2nd Edition by David Roochnik (Paperback)

About the Book

"Two Reasons to Study Ancient Greek Philosophy Ancient Greek philosophy began with Thales, who correctly predicted an eclipse that occurred in 585 BCE, and culminated in the monumental works of Aristotle, who died in 322.1 (Unless otherwise noted, all dates in this book are BCE.) The simple fact that these thinkers lived over 2,000 years ago should provoke a question: in the age of the microchip and the engineered gene, why bother with them? One good answer immediately springs to mind: to become educated. The Greeks were the intellectual ancestors of western culture. They laid the foundations for all future developments in the natural sciences, medicine, mathematics, history, architecture, sculpture, tragic and comic drama, lyric and epic poetry, as well as philosophy. To the extent that one must know one's heritage in order to know oneself, it is imperative to study the ancient Greeks"--

Book Synopsis

Provides an accessible introduction to ancient Greek philosophy, enhanced with new features and content

Retrieving the Ancients offers a clear and engaging narrative of one of the most fertile periods in the history of human thought, beginning with the Ionian Philosophers of the sixth century and concluding with the works of Aristotle. Organized chronologically, this student-friendly textbook approaches Greek philosophy as an illuminating conversation in which each key thinker--including Thales, Pythagoras, Democritus, Socrates, and Plato--engages with, responds to, and moves beyond his predecessor. Throughout the text, author David Roochnik highlights how this conversation remains as relevant and urgent to modern readers as ever.

Now in its second edition, Retrieving the Ancients features an entirely new epilogue that introduces Stoicism, Epicureanism, Skepticism, Cynicism, and various schools of thought that emerged after Aristotle, as well as a useful appendix designed to help students write philosophically. This edition offers expanded online teaching resources for instructors, including a downloadable web pack with sample syllabi.

• Offers a compelling, readable, and humorous introduction to ancient Greek philosophy
• Approaches the history of ancient Greek philosophy dialectically
• Illustrates how the works of the ancients are as valuable today as ever
• Includes an accessible, modern introduction to Hellenistic philosophers, new to this edition

Offering a sophisticated yet accessible account of the first philosophers of the West, Retrieving the Ancients: An Introduction to Greek Philosophy, Second Edition is an ideal textbook for introductory and intermediate undergraduate courses in Ancient Greek Philosophy, as well as general courses in Ancient Philosophy.

From the Back Cover

In Retrieving the Ancients, Professor David Roochnik presents a compelling, readable, and often humorous introduction to ancient Greek philosophy. Written in an engaging narrative style, this reader-friendly textbook approaches Greek philosophy dialectically--placing key thinkers such as Thales, Pythagoras, Democritus, Socrates, and Plato in discourse with each other to synthesize a sophisticated yet accessible overview of ancient Greek thought. Throughout the book, the author highlights how the concepts and ideas of the first philosophers of the West remain as relevant and urgent as ever.

Updated and expanded with new features and content, this second edition features an entirely new epilogue that introduces Stoicism, Epicureanism, Skepticism, Cynicism, and various schools of thought that emerged after Aristotle. This edition includes a useful appendix designed to help students write philosophically, while instructors are provided with access to expanded online teaching resources and a downloadable web pack with sample syllabi.

Now with expanded coverage of Hellenistic philosophers, the second edition of Retrieving the Ancients: An Introduction to Greek Philosophy is the perfect textbook for introductory and intermediate undergraduate courses in Ancient Greek Philosophy, as well as general courses in Ancient Philosophy.

About the Author

DAVID ROOCHNIK is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Boston University. He has published numerous books and articles on ancient Greek philosophy and literature, rhetoric, post-modernism, and the nature of philosophy. His books include Retrieving Aristotle in an Age of Crisis, Thinking Philosophically: An Introduction to the Great Debates, Beautiful City: The Dialectical Character of Plato's Republic, and Eat, Drink, Think: What Ancient Greece Can Tell Us About Food and Wine.