Retrieving the Ancients

In Retrieving the Ancients, Professor David Roochnik presents a compelling, readable, and often humorous introduction to ancient Greek philosophy. Written in an engaging narrative style, this reader-friendly textbook approaches Greek philosophy dialectically—placing key thinkers such as Thales, Pythagoras, Democritus, Socrates, and Plato in discourse with each other to synthesize a sophisticated yet accessible overview of ancient Greek thought. Throughout the book, the author highlights how the concepts and ideas of the first philosophers of the West remain as relevant and urgent as ever.

Updated and expanded with new features and content, this second edition features an entirely new epilogue that introduces Stoicism, Epicureanism, Skepticism, Cynicism, and various schools of thought that emerged after Aristotle. This edition includes a useful appendix designed to help students write philosophically, while instructors are provided with access to expanded online teaching resources and a downloadable web pack with sample syllabi.

Now with expanded coverage of Hellenistic philosophers, the second edition of Retrieving the Ancients: An Introduction to Greek Philosophy is the perfect textbook for introductory and intermediate undergraduate courses in Ancient Greek Philosophy, as well as general courses in Ancient Philosophy.