  Because of its wide range and its remoteness in time, Aristotle’s philosophy defies easy encapsulation. The long history of interpretation and appropriation of Aristotelian texts and themes—spanning over two millennia and comprising philosophers working within a variety of religious and secular traditions—has rendered even basic points of interpretation controversial. The set of entries on Aristotle in this site addresses this situation by proceeding in three tiers. First, the present, general entry offers a brief account of Aristotle’s life and characterizes his central philosophical commitments, highlighting his most distinctive methods and most influential  achievements.[2]   Second are General Topics, which offer detailed introductions to the main areas of Aristotle’s philosophical activity. Finally, there follow Special Topics, which investigate in greater detail more narrowly focused issues, especially those of central concern in recent Aristotelian scholarship. 