Hendrik Lorenz presents a comprehensive study of Plato's and Aristotle's conceptions of non-rational desire. They see this as something that humans share with animals, and which aims primarily at the pleasures of food, drink, and sex. Lorenz explores the cognitive resources that both philosophers make available for the explanation of such desires, and what they take rationality to add to the motivational structure of human beings. In doing so, he finds conceptions of the mind that are coherent and deeply integrated with both philosophers' views about such topics as the relation between body and soul, or the nature of the virtues.
Introduction
I. Appetite and Reason in Plato'sRepublic1. Parts of the soul
2. The argument for tripartition
3. Partition
4. The simple picture
II. Belief and Appearance in Plato5. Imitation and the soul
6. Belief and reason
7. Below belief and reason
III.Phantasiaand Non-Rational Desire in Aristotle8. Preliminaries
9.
Phantasia, desire, and locomotion
10. Desire without
phantasia11. The workings of
phantasia12.
Phantasiaand practical thought
13. Reason and non-rational desire
Conclusion
Provocative and stimulating. --Rod Jenks,
Ancient Philosophy
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