A translation of Aristotle's Eudemian Ethics, with Introduction and Notes

The aim of this research is to produce a translation, with Introduction and Notes, of Aristotle's Eudemian Ethics. The work has been commissioned by Cambridge University Press for its series Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy, and will be undertaken in collaboration with Prof. Brad Inwood, Unicersity of Toronto.This is one of Aristotle's most important ethical treatises, but a single complete English translation of it, that includes the so-called common books (sections of the treatise that it shares with Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics), has never been produced. A good case can be made that the common books were originally written by Aristotle to be included in the Eudemian Ethics, so it is particularly important that a single complete translation be available. Aristotle's ethical thinking is still a major influence on contemporary moral philosophy. The existence of this translation will therefore be an important resource for moral philosophers, as well for scholars and others interested in ethics, Aristotle, or ancient philosophy.

I do not anticipate that a project of this nature will initially have a major non-academic impact. However, questions about how to live a good human life are of enduring interest to almost everyone, both at the individual level and with regard to issues of social and public policy; and Aristotle's ethical thought remains extremely influential on the way that questions about the good life are formulated and addressed by philosophers and others. I therefore anticipate that, indirectly, the production of a complete translation of the Eudemian Ethics, in a form that will be widely available and backed by the distribution and marketing of Cambridge University Press, is likely to have some impact beyond academia. Academic work tends eventually, if it is of importance, to make its way into the bloodstream of a society, and with concepts of well-being having an ever greater influence on the formulation of social policy, I would expect the project to make some contribution to the way that a range of policymakers and professionals think about quality of life issues.