Education
Annas graduated from Oxford University in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts, and from Harvard University with an Master of Arts (1970) and a Doctor of Philosophy (1972).
(Analyzes central ethical themes in Plato by relying in pa...)
Analyzes central ethical themes in Plato by relying in part on approaches taken by ancient Platonists that are neglected by contemporary scholars. Annas shows that the ancients were correct in claiming that Plato promotes the view that virtue is sufficient for happiness without external goods.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801485177/?tag=2022091-20
(This is a survey of Stoic and Epicurian ideas about the s...)
This is a survey of Stoic and Epicurian ideas about the soul - an introduction to two ancient schools whose belief in the soul's physicality offer parallels to modern approaches in the philosophy of mind. Annas incorporates recent thinking on Hellenistic philosophy of mind. In part, the Hellenistic epoch was a "scientific" period that broke with tradition in ways that have an affinity with the modern shift from the 17th and 18th centuries to the present day. Hellenistic philosophy of the soul, Annas argues, is in fact a philosophy of mind, especially in the treatment of such topics as perception, thought and action.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0520075544/?tag=2022091-20
(Intelligent Virtue presents a distinctive new account of ...)
Intelligent Virtue presents a distinctive new account of virtue and happiness as central ethical ideas. Annas argues that exercising a virtue involves practical reasoning of a kind which can illuminatingly be compared to the kind of reasoning we find in someone exercising a practical skill. Rather than asking at the start how virtues relate to rules, principles, maximizing, or a final end, we should look at the way in which the acquisition and exercise of virtue can be seen to be in many ways like the acquisition and exercise of more mundane activities, such as farming, building or playing the piano. This helps us to see virtue as part of an agent's happiness or flourishing, and as constituting (wholly, or in part) that happiness. We are offered a better understanding of the relation between virtue as an ideal and virtue in everyday life, and the relation between being virtuous and doing the right thing.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199228779/?tag=2022091-20
(This lively and accessible book focuses on the philosophy...)
This lively and accessible book focuses on the philosophy and argument of Plato's writings, drawing the reader into Plato's way of doing philosophy and the general themes of his thinking. It discusses Plato's style of writing: his use of the dialogue form, his use of what we today call fiction, and his philosophical transformation of myths. It also looks at his discussions of love and philosophy, his attitude towards women, and towards homosexual love. It explores Plato's claim that virtue is sufficient for happiness and touches on his arguments for the immorality of the soul and his ideas about the nature of the universe
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7560068006/?tag=2022091-20
(This lively and accessible introduction to plato focuses ...)
This lively and accessible introduction to plato focuses on the philosophy and argument of his writings, drawing the reader into platos way of doing philosophy, and the general themes of his thinking this is not a book to leave the reader standing in the outer court of introduction and background information, but leads directly into platos argument it looks at plato as a thinker grappling with philosophical problems in a variety of ways, rather than a philosopher with a fully worked-out system it includes a brief account of platos life and the various interpretations that have been drawn from the sparse remains of information it stresses the importance of the founding of the academy and the conception of philosophy as a subject julia annas discusses platos style of writing: his use of the dialogue form, his use of what we today call fiction, and his philosophical transformation of myths she also looks at his discussions of love and philosophy, his attitude to women, and to homosexual love, explores platos claim that virtue is sufficient for happiness, and touches on his arguments for the immorality of the soul and his ideas about the nature of the universe
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0195681622/?tag=2022091-20
(Intelligent Virtue presents a distinctive new account of ...)
Intelligent Virtue presents a distinctive new account of virtue and happiness as central ethical ideas. Annas argues that exercising a virtue involves practical reasoning of a kind which can illuminatingly be compared to the kind of reasoning we find in someone exercising a practical skill. Rather than asking at the start how virtues relate to rules, principles, maximizing, or a final end, we should look at the way in which the acquisition and exercise of virtue can be seen to be in many ways like the acquisition and exercise of more mundane activities, such as farming, building or playing the piano. This helps us to see virtue as part of an agent's happiness or flourishing, and as constituting (wholly, or in part) that happiness. We are offered a better understanding of the relation between virtue as an ideal and virtue in everyday life, and the relation between being virtuous and doing the right thing.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009QTULYQ/?tag=2022091-20
(This lively and accessible book focuses on the philosophy...)
This lively and accessible book focuses on the philosophy and argument of Plato's writings, drawing the reader into Plato's way of doing philosophy and the general themes of his thinking. It discusses Plato's style of writing: his use of the dialogue form, his use of what we today call fiction, and his philosophical transformation of myths. It also looks at his discussions of love and philosophy, his attitude towards women, and towards homosexual love. It explores Plato's claim that virtue is sufficient for happiness and touches on his arguments for the immorality of the soul and his ideas about the nature of the universe.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/019280216X/?tag=2022091-20
(Julia Annas here offers a fundamental reexamination of Pl...)
Julia Annas here offers a fundamental reexamination of Plato's ethical thought by investigating the Middle Platonist perspective, which emerged at the end of Plato's own school, the Academy. She highlights the differences between ancient and modern assumptions about Plato's ethics--and stresses the need to be more critical about our own. One of these modern assumptions is the notion that the dialogues record the development of Plato's thought. Annas shows how the Middle Platonists, by contrast, viewed the dialogues as multiple presentations of a single Platonic ethical philosophy, differing in form and purpose but ultimately coherent. They also read Plato's ethics as consistently defending the view that virtue is sufficient for happiness, and see it as converging in its main points with the ethics of the Stoics. Annas goes on to explore the Platonic idea that humankind's final end is "becoming like God"--an idea that is well known among the ancients but virtually ignored in modern interpretations. She also maintains that modern interpretations, beginning in the nineteenth century, have placed undue emphasis on the Republic, and have treated it too much as a political work, whereas the ancients rightly saw it as a continuation of Plato's ethical writings.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801435188/?tag=2022091-20
(Julia Annas here offers a fundamental reexamination of Pl...)
Julia Annas here offers a fundamental reexamination of Plato's ethical thought by investigating the Middle Platonist perspective, which emerged at the end of Plato's own school, the Academy. She highlights the differences between ancient and modern assumptions about Plato's ethics and stresses the need to be more critical about our own.One of these modern assumptions is the notion that the dialogues record the development of Plato's thought. Annas shows how the Middle Platonists, by contrast, viewed the dialogues as multiple presentations of a single Platonic ethical philosophy, differing in form and purpose but ultimately coherent. They also read Plato's ethics as consistently defending the view that virtue is sufficient for happiness, and see it as converging in its main points with the ethics of the Stoics.Annas goes on to explore the Platonic idea that humankind's final end is "becoming like God" an idea that is well known among the ancients but virtually ignored in modern interpretations. She also maintains that modern interpretations, beginning in the nineteenth century, have placed undue emphasis on the Republic, and have treated it too much as a political work, whereas the ancients rightly saw it as a continuation of Plato's ethical writings."
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0092JRW9M/?tag=2022091-20
philosopher university professor
Annas graduated from Oxford University in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts, and from Harvard University with an Master of Arts (1970) and a Doctor of Philosophy (1972).
She is Regents Professor of at the University of Arizona. She was a Fellow and Tutor at Street Hugh"s College, Oxford for fifteen years, before joining the faculty at Arizona in 1986, where she has taught since, apart for one year as a professor at Columbia University. She concentrates on the study of ancient Greek philosophy, including Ethics, Psychology and Epistemology.
Her current research interests are in Platonic ethics.
Julia Annas has advocated ethics based on character, building on ideas attributed to Greek philosopher, Aristotle and making them relevant for contemporary moral discourse. She has argued that being virtuous involves “practical reasoning” which can be compared to the “exercising of a practical skill”.
Hence, she argues, rather than relating virtues to rules, principles, or an end goal, Annas says, first, people should ask how they can improve their moral “skills”. Aristotle"s Metaphysics, M and North, translated with introduction and notes, (Oxford 1976).
Aristotle, Aristotle"s Metaphysics M and North (Oxford, 1976).
Recent articles "What are Plato’s “Middle” Dialogues in the Middle Of?" (Harvard University Press, 2002) "Democritus and Eudaimonism" (Presocratic: Essays in Honour of Alex Mourelatos, edited by Victor Caston and Daniel Graham, Ashgate, Aldershot, 2002) "Aristotle and Kant on Morality and Practical Reasoning" (Aristotle, Kant & The Stoics,ed South Ergstrom and J Whiting, Cambridge 1996) "Virtue and Eudaimonism" (Virtue and Vice, ed East Paul, J Jaul and F Miller, Cambridge, 1998) "Prudence and Morality in Ancient and Modern Ethics" (Ethics, January 1995) "Epicurus on Agency" (Passions and Perceptions, Cambridge, 1993) "The Good Life and the Good Lives of Others" (The Good Life and the Human Good, Cambridge, 1992) "Plato the Sceptic" (Oxford Studies in Ancient, Supp Volume(s), 1992). "Plato"s Myths of Judgement" (Phronesis Volume(s) 27 Number 2, 1982. Pp 119-143).
(This lively and accessible introduction to plato focuses ...)
(This is a survey of Stoic and Epicurian ideas about the s...)
(Julia Annas here offers a fundamental reexamination of Pl...)
(Julia Annas here offers a fundamental reexamination of Pl...)
(This lively and accessible book focuses on the philosophy...)
(This lively and accessible book focuses on the philosophy...)
(Analyzes central ethical themes in Plato by relying in pa...)
(Intelligent Virtue presents a distinctive new account of ...)
(Intelligent Virtue presents a distinctive new account of ...)
(Will be shipped from US. Brand new copy.)
American Academy of Arts and Sciences. American Philosophical Society.