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The Metaphysics (Penguin Classics) Paperback – June 1, 1999
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The Metaphysics presents Aristotle's mature rejection of both the Platonic theory that what we perceive is just a pale reflection of reality and the hard-headed view that all processes are ultimately material. He argued instead that the reality or substance of things lies in their concrete forms, and in so doing he probed some of the deepest questions of philosophy: What is existence? How is change possible? And are there certain things that must exist for anything else to exist at all? The seminal notions discussed in The Metaphysics - of 'substance' and associated concepts of matter and form, essence and accident, potentiality and actuality - have had a profound and enduring influence, and laid the foundations for one of the central branches of Western philosophy.
In this edition Hugh Lawson-Tancred's lucid translation is accompanied by a stimulating introduction in which he highlights the central themes of one of philosophy's supreme masterpieces.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
- Print length528 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPenguin Classics
- Publication dateJune 1, 1999
- Dimensions5.04 x 0.91 x 7.76 inches
- ISBN-100140446192
- ISBN-13978-0140446197
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About the Author
Hugh Lawson-Tancred was born in 1955 and educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford. He is a Departmental Fellow in the Department of Philosophy at Birkbeck College in the University of London. He has published extensively on Aristotle and Plato and is currently engaged in research in computational linguistics. He translates widely from the Slavonic and Scandinavian languages. He is married with a daughter and two sons and lives in North London and Somerset.
Product details
- Publisher : Penguin Classics
- Publication date : June 1, 1999
- Edition : Penguin Classics
- Language : English
- Print length : 528 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0140446192
- ISBN-13 : 978-0140446197
- Item Weight : 12.7 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.04 x 0.91 x 7.76 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #24,745 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #25 in Philosophy Metaphysics
- #52 in Ancient Greek & Roman Philosophy
- #887 in Classic Literature & Fiction
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Aristotle (/ˈærɪˌstɒtəl/; Greek: Ἀριστοτέλης [aristotélɛːs], Aristotélēs; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and scientist born in the city of Stagira, Chalkidice, on the northern periphery of Classical Greece. His father, Nicomachus, died when Aristotle was a child, whereafter Proxenus of Atarneus became his guardian. At eighteen, he joined Plato's Academy in Athens and remained there until the age of thirty-seven (c. 347 BC). His writings cover many subjects – including physics, biology, zoology, metaphysics, logic, ethics, aesthetics, poetry, theater, music, rhetoric, linguistics, politics and government – and constitute the first comprehensive system of Western philosophy. Shortly after Plato died, Aristotle left Athens and, at the request of Philip of Macedon, tutored Alexander the Great starting from 343 BC. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, "Aristotle was the first genuine scientist in history ... [and] every scientist is in his debt."
Teaching Alexander the Great gave Aristotle many opportunities and an abundance of supplies. He established a library in the Lyceum which aided in the production of many of his hundreds of books. The fact that Aristotle was a pupil of Plato contributed to his former views of Platonism, but, following Plato's death, Aristotle immersed himself in empirical studies and shifted from Platonism to empiricism. He believed all peoples' concepts and all of their knowledge was ultimately based on perception. Aristotle's views on natural sciences represent the groundwork underlying many of his works.
Aristotle's views on physical science profoundly shaped medieval scholarship. Their influence extended into the Renaissance and were not replaced systematically until the Enlightenment and theories such as classical mechanics. Some of Aristotle's zoological observations, such as on the hectocotyl (reproductive) arm of the octopus, were not confirmed or refuted until the 19th century. His works contain the earliest known formal study of logic, which was incorporated in the late 19th century into modern formal logic.
In metaphysics, Aristotelianism profoundly influenced Judeo-Islamic philosophical and theological thought during the Middle Ages and continues to influence Christian theology, especially the scholastic tradition of the Catholic Church. Aristotle was well known among medieval Muslim intellectuals and revered as "The First Teacher" (Arabic: المعلم الأول).
His ethics, though always influential, gained renewed interest with the modern advent of virtue ethics. All aspects of Aristotle's philosophy continue to be the object of active academic study today. Though Aristotle wrote many elegant treatises and dialogues – Cicero described his literary style as "a river of gold" – it is thought that only around a third of his original output has survived.
Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Copy of Lysippus (Jastrow (2006)) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
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Top reviews from the United States
- 5 out of 5 stars
Very good
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2026Very good
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Great book
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2023Book well made. Translation is excellent.
One person found this helpfulSending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again - 5 out of 5 stars
Philosophy: The love of wisdom
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2015Awesome for anyone who is interested in the study of philosophy. Forms, substance, matter, and essence; these are the terms one must understand in order to comprehend what Aristotle is trying to explain. The reality, perception, the mind and the soul are all concepts which are deeply and thoroughly discussed in the "The Metaphysics."
One person found this helpfulSending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again - 5 out of 5 stars
Most Influential Philosopher in the corpus of time
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2017The difference between love and infatuation is whether or not you can explain it. I said that! "All human beings by nature desire to know" - Best Philosopher EVER - with the possible exception of Ayn Rand. Avicenna - the most inspiring Muslim philosopher, read this 40 times without being able to understand it. What a book
4 people found this helpfulSending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again - 4 out of 5 stars
A useful edition
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2010I preface my remarks with two disclaimers. (1) I would not presume to "review" Aristotle, but I can superficially review this edition. (2) I do not know Greek.
I recommend buying this book, but not as your main text of the "Metaphysics". For your main text of the "Metaphysics", I recommend the 1924 translation by W.D. Ross, which is not in print, but you can find it used. The "Metaphysics" is famously difficult. I found the Ross translation clearer and more comprehensible than that of Tancred-Lawson (T-L). I was about one-third of the way through the T-L translation when I had to give up. But it was through the T-L bibliography that I found the Ross translation, so if that was all the T-L did for me, it would have been enough.
I also did not quite like the tone and style of this translation. I found it too informal and colloquial for my tastes. It is quite interesting in that respect, but in the end it feels stylistically wrong.
But the T-L is still well worth buying. The various introductory and textual essays are excellent and very well worth reading. T-L's alternative translation is good to have as a backup. Sometimes when it is Ross that is obscure, T-L can clarify the matter.
One warning is that you had better read the "Physics" before you read this, or it will not make any sense to you at all.
Summary: At this price, the book is highly recommended as your backup translation of, and general companion to, the "Metaphysics."
28 people found this helpfulSending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again - 5 out of 5 stars
A great work which is well worth reading
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2014A great work which is well worth reading. In college I thought Aristotle spent too much time in correcting or discrediting other teachers; I now appreciate his detailed process of building his point of view in every angle of review.
5 people found this helpfulSending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again - 5 out of 5 stars
Great Book
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2014I purchased this book for my son and he is very happy with it. It is well written and affordable. No complaints.
2 people found this helpfulSending feedback...Sending feedback...HelpfulThank you for your feedback.Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try againThanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again - 5 out of 5 stars
Honest Seller
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2019As Advertised
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Top reviews from other countries
Sourangshu Sarkar5 out of 5 starsA Profound Masterpiece.
Reviewed in India on September 20, 2023This is undeniably a classic of profound significance. Criticizing this work feels almost sacrilegious, given its enduring intellectual value. However, it must be acknowledged that this masterpiece can be an intellectual Everest to conquer. Its intricate concepts and intricate reasoning make it a challenging read, demanding profound contemplation to fully grasp. Nevertheless, this is the very essence of its brilliance. Aristotle's exploration of the nature of reality and existence is an intellectual journey like no other, a testament to his unmatched genius. I extend my gratitude to Amazon for providing access to this book.
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R1 out of 5 starsTerrible Translation + No notes
Reviewed in Australia on August 16, 2024Translation is very obtuse, rendering an already difficult even more so. Furthermore, this edition lacks notes completely, stranding you alone with the behemothian tome handicapped by a dated translation.
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M1 out of 5 starsDamaged book
Reviewed in Saudi Arabia on December 11, 2025Came damaged
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T. Denniss5 out of 5 starsExcellent
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 11, 2026Excellent, very good value - the introduction alone is worth the cost in spite of the unhelpful comments by some other reviewers. I recommend this version unreservedly, but I like to have a hard copy as well and would advise anyone who is not familiar with this work to buy a paperprint copy as well for consolidation of the contents as it is a challenging read!
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Carlos Alberto García Gutiérrez3 out of 5 starsLa portada se dobló en la esquina
Reviewed in Mexico on December 29, 2021
3 out of 5 starsLa portada se dobló en la esquina
Reviewed in Mexico on December 29, 2021Sending feedback...Thanks, we'll investigate in the next few days.Sorry, We failed to report this review. Please try again
































