Necessity, Cause, and Blame: Perspectives on Aristotle's Theory
University of Chicago Press (1980)
| Abstract | A discussion of Aristotle’s thought on determinism and culpability, Necessity, Cause, and Blame also reveals Richard Sorabji’s own philosophical commitments. He makes the original argument here that Aristotle separates the notions of necessity and cause, rejecting both the idea that all events are necessarily determined as well as the idea that a non-necessitated event must also be non-caused. In support of this argument, Sorabji engages in a wide-ranging discussion of explanation, time, free will, essence, and purpose in nature. He also provides historical perspective, arguing that these problems remain intimately bound up with modern controversies. “ Necessity, Cause and Blame would be counted by all as one of Sorabji’s finest. The book is essential for philosophers—both specialists on the Greeks and modern thinkers about free will—and also compelling for non-specialists.”—Martha Nussbaum “Original and important . . . The book relates Aristotle’s discussions to both the contemporary debates on determinism and causation and the ancient ones. It is especially detailed on Stoic arguments about necessity . . . and on the social and legal background to Aristotle’s thought.”— Choice “It is difficult to convey the extraordinary richness of this book. . . . A Greekless philosopher could read it with pleasure . . . At the same time, its learning and scholarship are enormous.”—G. E. M. Anscombe, Times Literary Supplement. | |||||||||
| Keywords | Ethics, Ancient Free will and determinism Necessity (Philosophy Causation Blame | |||||||||
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| Buy the book | $20.00 new (12% off) $22.50 direct from Amazon Amazon page | |||||||||
| Call number | B491.E7.S67 2006 | |||||||||
| ISBN(s) | 0226768244 | |||||||||
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Similar books and articlesMichael A. Slote (1982). Selective Necessity and the Free Will Problem. Journal of Philosophy 79 (January):5-24.
G. E. M. Anscombe (1971). Causality and Determinism. Cambridge University Press.
Allan Gotthelf (1983). Necessity, Cause, and Blame: Perspectives on Aristotle's Theory. Journal of the History of Philosophy 21 (4):561-563.
J. D. G. Evans (1981). Necessity, Cause and Blame: Perspectives on Aristotle's Theory By Richard Sorabji London: Duckworth & Co., 1980, Xv + 326 Pp., £24. [REVIEW] Philosophy 56 (218):584-.
Gail Fine (1981). Aristotle on Determinism: A Review of Richard Sorabji's Necessity, Cause, and Blame. [REVIEW] Philosophical Review 90 (4):561-579.
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