Necessity, Cause and Blame: Perspectives on Aristotle's Theory

By Richard Sorabji

Book Overview

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

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226768244
• ISBN13: 9780226768243
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 334 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.8" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

Admirable scholarship, philosophically inspiring

Necessity, Cause and Blame is a wonderful book, lucidly written and engaging. It is a book an Aristotle's philosophy as well as being a book on philosophy in its own right. Sorabji focuses on Aristotle's treatment of determinism, although the reader will also be informed of the views of Aristotle's predecessors and his successors along the way. But determinism is still very much a matter of debate among philosophers today and so this book will be of interest not only to the student of the history of philosophy, but also to students of (and anyone interested in) contemporary philosophy. Sorabji discusses such topics as time, causation, explanation, necessity, coincidences, essence, purpose in nature and voluntariness in order to cast light on Aristotle's theory (whom he takes to be an indeterminist). He discusses many famous passages in Aristotle's writings, such as the 'sea battle', and other less known passages as well, but his discussion never becomes a mere exegesis. It is always engagingly written, for Sorabji is primarily interested in arguments that are relevant for us today and that are able to compete with contemporary theories. Anyone interested in Aristotle's philosophy, determinism or questions about moral responsibility posed by the determinist would do well to read this book. Its scholarship is admirable, its philosophical acuteness inspiring.