A philosophical commentary on the Politics of Aristotle /

Simpson (College of Staten Island, CUNY) is concerned with the logical structure of Aristotle's Politics and with the analysis of its arguments. This philosophical (rather than historical or philological) commentary is analytic and does not discuss esoteric doctrines hidden between the lines. The text is divided into headings and subheadings; the commentary proceeds section by section. Since the focus is on the text, Simpson discusses secondary literature only briefly and in the footnotes. Distinctive features include Simpson's presentation of Nicomachean Ethics X 9 as an introduction to the Politics; he follows some scholars (e.g., Newman) in not accepting the manuscript order, instead placing books VII-VIII between III and IV; and he is an extreme unitarian, i.e., he regards the Politics as a unified whole, both in form and in doctrine. The latter viewpoint contrasts with that of Jaeger and Sch"utrumpf, that the Politics is a composite of different parts written at different times. Simpson makes a good case for the different order of the books of the Politics, and a great case for its unity. Suitable for upper-division undergraduates through researchers, and a "must read" for scholars of the Politics. R. Mayhew; Seton Hall University