Protrepticus (Aristotle)


Protrepticus is a philosophical work by Aristotle that encouraged the young to study philosophy. It survives only in fragments and is considered a lost work.

Reconstructions

Since the 19th century, when inquiry was initiated by Jakob Bernays, several scholars have attempted to reconstruct the work. Attempted reconstructions include:
The book The works of Aristotle mentioned

Protreptic

A book review of Exhortations to Philosophy, mentioned
Clark, mentioned

Translations

1908

in Porph. 3. 17-23. We may also reason as Aristotle does in his Protrepticus, in which he encourages young men to philosophize. He says this: If we ought to philosophize we ought to philosophize, and if we ought not to philosophize we ought to philosophize; in either case, therefore, we ought to philosophize. If philosophy exists we ought certainly to philosophize, because philosophy exists; and if it does not exist, even so we ought to examine why it does not exist, and in examining this we shall be philosophizing, because examination is what makes philosophy.

1995

, Michael Chase :

2015

Hutchinson and Johnson
Excerpt from a speech by the character ‘Aristotle’