Philosophy Audiobooks

II 1:21:55, III 2:31:21, IV 3:56:07 V 4:57:24, VI 6:02:39, VII 7:45:14  Laws (Greek: ΝΟΜΟΙ, Latin: De Legibus) is the final dialogue written by Plato. Translated by Benjamin Jowett. Painting: Lot and his Daughters by Orazio Gentileschi. LibriVox recording and cover design by Geoffrey Edwards are in the public domain.

On Sleeping and Waking (Greek: ΠΕΡΙ ΥΠΝΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΕΓΡΗΓΟΡΣΕΩΣ; Latin: DE SOMNO ET VIGILIA) is also known as On Sleep and Sleeplessness. In this book Aristotle discusses the relationship between sleep and the body, soul and sensation. Translated by William Alexander Hammond. Painting: Le Sommeil by Gustave Courbet, 1866. LibriVox recording and cover design by Geoffrey Edwards are in the public domain.

II: 1:24:00 III 3:02:03 On the Laws (Latin: De Legibus) by Cicero. Translated by Charles Duke Yonge. It is unknown how many books De Legibus originally contained but several complete books have been lost. Cicero's emphasis in the surviving work is on the nature and purpose of law as opposed to providing answers to specific legal questions. Photograph: Draped Model by Jean-Louis-Marie-Eugène Durieu...

Book II: 49:34 On Plants (Greek: ΠΕΡΙ ΦΥΤΩΝ; Latin: De Plantis) may have been written by Nicolaus of Damascus (ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΣ ΔΑΜΑΣΚΗΝΟΣ) instead of Aristotle. Sexual reproduction, parasitism, earthquakes and buoyancy are discussed and a correlation is drawn between the shape of thorns and the shape of fire. Translated by Edward Forster. Painting: La Source by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1856. Record...

This fifth of the six Enneads (ΕΝΝΕΑΔΕΣ) written by Plotinus (ΠΛΩΤΙΝΟΣ); arranged by Porphyry (ΠΟΡΦΥΡΙΟΣ) and translated by Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie contains the following nine books: 1. The Three Principal Hypostases, or Forms of Existence (0:00:00) 2. Of Generation, and of the Order of things that Rank Next After the First (0:51:53) 3. The Self-Consciousnesses, and What is Above Them (1:00:08) 4....

II 1:05:10 III 2:05:07 IV 2:58:12 V 4:41:28 VI 5:31:34 VII 6:48:33 VIII 7:33:08 Physics  (Greek: ΦΥΣΙΚΗ ΑΚΡΟΑΣΙΣ; Latin: PHYSICA) by Aristotle. Translated by Thomas Taylor. Read for LibriVox by Geoffrey Edwards. Meta-Coordinator/Cataloging: Carolin Kaiser. Dedicated Proof-Listener: Kajo. Painting:  Portrait of Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth  by Peter Lely, c.1674. Recording and cover d...

Physiognomonics (Greek: ΦΥΣΙΟΓΝΩΜΟΝΙΚΑ, Latin: Physiognomonica) was probably not written by Aristotle. The text discusses physiognomy. Translated by T. Loveday and E.S. Forster. Read for LibriVox in English by Geoffrey Edwards. Painting: The Annunciation, with Saint Emidius by Carlo Crivelli, 1486. This recording and cover design are in the public domain. 

Book II - 2:05:36 Book III - 4:53:25 On the Nature of the Gods (Latin: De Natura Deorum) outlines Stoic, Epicurean and Academic (Skeptical) views on religious questions. Problems discussed include: evil, the origin of the world, divination and characteristics of God. Translated by Charles Duke Yonge. Painting: Daniel and Cyrus Before the Idol Bel by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn.

The Situations and Names of Winds (Greek: ΠΕΡΙ ΘΕΣΕΩΣ ΑΝΕΜΩΝ, Latin: VENTORUM SITUS) may not have been written by Aristotle. The translator Edward Forster believes the peripatetic philosopher Theophrastus (ΘΕΟΦΡΑΣΤΟΣ) may have been the actual author. The four cardinal and eight intermediate winds are named. Gaps in the recording signify portions of the text which have been lost. Painting:  Les épr...

This forth of the six Enneads (ΕΝΝΕΑΔΕΣ) written by Plotinus (ΠΛΩΤΙΝΟΣ); arranged by Porphyry (ΠΟΡΦΥΡΙΟΣ) and translated by Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie contains the following nine books: 1. Of the Being of the Soul (0:00:00) 2. How the Soul Mediates Between Indivisible and Divisible Essence (0:02:59) 3. Are Not All Souls Parts or Emanations of a Single Soul? (0:18:57) 4. Questions About the Soul (2:27:...

On Colours (American English: On Colors, Greek: ΠΕΡΙ ΧΡΩΜΑΤΩΝ, Latin: DE COLORIBUS) may not have been written by Aristotle. Theophrastus or Strato who were the second and third scholarchs of the Lyceum (ΛΥΚΕΙΟΝ) may have been the actual author. The writer emphasizes the use of observation to confirm his or her theories regarding the mechanisms causing colour and colour change in elements, plants a...

On Memory and Recollection (Greek: ΠΕΡΙ ΜΝΗΜΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΝΑΜΝΗΣΕΩΣ, Latin: DE MEMORIA ET REMINISCENTIA) by Aristotle. Translated by William Alexander Hammond. Read for LibriVox by Geoffrey Edwards. Painting: La Baigneuse Valpinçon  by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, 1808.

On Dreams (Greek: ΠΕΡΙ ΕΝΥΠΝΙΩΝ, Latin: DE INSOMNIIS) discusses sensation when awake and dreaming. Written by Aristotle. Translated by William Alexander Hammond. Painting:  Portrait of Louise-Antoinette Feuardent by Jean-François Millet, 1841. Scanned by The J. Paul Getty Museum. 

On Things Heard (Greek ΠΕΡΙ ΑΚΟΥΣΤΩΝ, Latin DE AUDIBILIBUS) is a work which was formerly attributed to Aristotle, but is now generally believed to be the work of Strato of Lampsacus who was the third scholarch of the Lyceum. Our extant version of On Things Heard is made up of long extracts included in Porphyry's Commentary on Ptolemy's Harmonics , and is thus partial. The extracts are concerned wi...

On Melissus, Xenophanes, and Gorgias (Greek: ΠΕΡΙ ΜΕΛΙΣΣΟΥ, ΞΕΝΟΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΚΑΙ ΓΟΡΓΙΟΥ; Latin: DE MELISSO, XENOPHANE, GORGIA) may not have been written by Aristotle. Translated by T. Loveday and E.S. Forster. Painting:  Auto de Fe en la Plaza Mayor de Madrid , Francisco Rizi, 1683, óleo sobre lienzo, 277 x 438 cm, Museo del Prado, Madrid.

This third of the six Enneads (ΕΝΝΕΑΔΕΣ) written by Plotinus (ΠΛΩΤΙΝΟΣ); arranged by Porphyry (ΠΟΡΦΥΡΙΟΣ) and translated by Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie contains the following nine books: 1. Concerning Fate (0:00:00) 2. Of Providence (0:31:39) 3. Continuation of That on Providence (1:49:41) 4. Of Our Individual Guardian (2:20:34) 5. Of Love, or "Eros" (2:44:01) 6. Of the Impassibility of Incorporeal Ent...

On Longevity and Shortness of Life (Greek: ΠΕΡΙ ΜΑΚΡΟΒΙΟΤΗΤΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΒΡΑΧΥΒΙΟΤΗΤΟΣ; Latin: DE LONGITUDINE ET BREVITATE VITAE) is one of the seven short treatises on nature (Latin: PARVA NATURALIA). In this text Aristotle provides explanations for the different lifespans of plants, animals, men and women. Translated by William Alexander Hammond. Photograph: Seated Woman with "Spirit" of a Young Man by...

The Constitution of Athens (Greek: ΑΘΗΝΑΙΩΝ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΙΑ) was written by Aristotle or one of his students. The text was lost until discovered in the late 19th century in Egypt. Topics discussed include Solon's legislative reforms abolishing debt slavery and the rise and decline of democracy and tyranny in Athens. Translated by Frederic G. Kenyon. Painting:  Triumph of the Marine Venus by Sebastiano Ri...

On Prophecy in Sleep  (Greek: ΠΕΡΙ ΤΗΣ ΚΑΘ ΥΠΝΟΝ ΜΑΝΤΙΚΗΣ) is also known as On Divination in Sleep (Latin: DE DIVINATIONE PER SOMNUM). In this short book Aristotle asks why alleged prophetic dreams typically come to base people at night instead of to the wise during the day which would be more consistent with a benevolent deity. Painting: Shepherd and Sleeping Shepherdess attributed to Reyer Jacob...

Sophist (ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗΣ) is a dialogue written by Plato which discusses being and not-being while drawing a distinction between true philosophers and mere sophists. Translated by Benjamin Jowett. Read in English by Geoffrey Edwards. Meta Coordinator: Bart de Leeuw. Proof Listener: Rapunzelina. Painting: Andromeda by Edward Poynter, 1869.

This second of the six Enneads (ΕΝΝΕΑΔΕΣ) written by Plotinus (ΠΛΩΤΙΝΟΣ); arranged by Porphyry (ΠΟΡΦΥΡΙΟΣ) and translated by Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie contains the following nine books: 1. Of the Heaven 2. About the Movement of the Heavens 3. Whether Astrology is of any Value 4. Of Matter 5. Of the Aristotelian Distinction Between Actuality and Potentiality 6. Of Essence and Being 7. About Mixture to...

Theaetetus (Ancient Greek: ΘΕΑΙΤΗΤΟΣ) discusses epistemological concepts including perception, true judgment and knowledge. Socrates compares the human mind to a piece of wax and is critical of lawyers who seek only to persuade using rhetoric. Painting: The Studio by Honoré Daumier.

This first of the six Enneads (ΕΝΝΕΑΔΕΣ) written by Plotinus (ΠΛΩΤΙΝΟΣ); arranged by Porphyry (ΠΟΡΦΥΡΙΟΣ) and translated by Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie contains the following nine books: 1. The Organism and the Self 2. Concerning Virtue 3. Of Dialectic, or the Means of Raising the Soul to the Intelligible World 4. Whether Animals May Be Termed Happy 5. Does Happiness Increase With Time? 6. Of Beauty 7....

Eudemian Ethics (Greek: ΗΘΙΚΩΝ ΕΥΔΗΜΙΩΝ Latin: ETHICA EUDEMIA) outlines Aristotle's ethical philosophy. Topics include virtue, friendship, happiness, justice, courage, wisdom, temperance and God. It is believed to have been written before Nicomachean Ethics and to be named after Eudemus of Rhodes. Books IV, V, and VI of Eudemian Ethics are identical to books V, VI, and VII of Nicomachean Ethics an...

Magna Moralia (Ancient Greek: ΗΘΙΚΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΩΝ English: Great Ethics ) discusses topics including friendship, virtue, happiness and God. It is disputed whether Aristotle wrote Magna Moralia. This author concludes that it is absurd to suggest that God contemplates only God but does not propose an alternative activity for God. Translated by St. George William Joseph Stock. Audiobook read in English by...