Aristotle on Religion

Aristotle is a severe critic of traditional religion, believing it to be false, yet he also holds that traditional religion and its institutions are necessary if any city, including the ideal city he describes in the Politics, is to exist and flourish. This book provides, for the first time, a coherent account of the socio-political role which Aristotle attributes to traditional religion despite his rejection of its content. Mor Segev argues that Aristotle thinks traditional religion is politically necessary because it prepares the ground for what he considers the pinnacle of human endeavor: attaining the knowledge of first philosophy, whose objects are real beings worthy of being called gods. Developing this interpretation, Segev goes on to analyze Aristotle's references to the myths of traditional Greek religion, and to assess his influence on medieval Jewish and Christian theology and philosophy of religion.

• Provides a comprehensive survey and analysis of the evidence concerning Aristotle's view of religion and its function
• Investigates and resolves issues surrounding apparent inconsistencies among key works including the Politics, Ethics, and Metaphysics
• Places Aristotle's view of religion in its historical context and traces its influence on subsequent, particularly medieval, thought, making this book important for historians of philosophy and theology