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How far have we come since Aristotle?

See more: An illustrated version of this article will be published within the next two weeks on our CultureLab books and arts blog

By Andrew Robinson

3 October 2012

Erstwhile biologist, now philosopher, Massimo Pigliucci explores the latest attempts to find the meaning of life in Answers for Aristotle

THE Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees, remarked in 2010 that “we are no wiser than Aristotle was” – for all our technical advances since the time of the ancient Greeks. If you disagree, try reading Answers for Aristotle by Massimo Pigliucci, a former biologist, who is now a professor of philosophy at the City University of New York.

“Aristotle was among the first to approach the big questions in both a philosophical and a scientific manner, and we are now beginning to have some good (if provisional) answers…

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