CHOICE 10/86
GADAMER, Hans Georg. The idea of the good in
Platonic-Aristotelian philosophy, tr. and with an introd. and
annot. by P. Christopher Smith. Yale, 1986. 182p index 85-22710.
20.00 ISBN 0-300-03463-6.  B 398. CIP

In his expanded 1974 and 1976 lectures at the Heidelberg Academy of 
Sciences, Gadamer uses his hermeneutical method to identify the 
common problem basic to Plato and Aristotle in order to exhibit the 
grounds that secure what he takes to be a fundamental agreement 
between the two philosophers. The separability of the Ideas is 
examined in detail to determine their relationship to the Idea of 
the Good. Since the search for the Good is also central to 
Aristotle, Gadamer's objective is to detect the overlapping 
solution, and this despite Aristotle's criticism of the Forms and 
Plato's theory of transcendence-both stress the invariant forms of 
things and seek to unravel the purposive bonds between man and the 
universe. From Gadamer's point of view, Plato and Aristotle depart 
from the moral experience and maintain throughout their writings 
the unity of practical and theoretical philosophy. The translation 
is highly readable. The translator's introduction and frequent 
annotation provide special elucidation on points of doctrinal 
complexity, giving ample references to other works and rival 
interpretations. Appropriate for graduate students and 
faculty.-J.P. Anton, University of South Florida 

     Gadamer, Hans-Georg.
         Philosophical Apprenticeships. -- M I T Press, 06/1985.
         205 p. -- (Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought)

         ISBN 0-262-07092-8  : $19.50.

         1. PHILOSOPHERS - GERMANY.  I.  Sullivan, Robert R.,
     translator.  II. Title.  III. Series.