This volume investigates whether Aristotle's rejection of Plato's Form of the Good is logically sound and what implications such a rejection holds for his own ethical framework. Christopher John Shields, a scholar of ancient philosophy, examines the specific arguments Aristotle employs to dismantle the notion of a univocal essence of goodness. By analyzing these anti-Platonic critiques, the author seeks to determine how Aristotle maintains the commensurability of goods within his own system without relying on a singular, universal Form.

Scholars and students of ancient philosophy recognize this work as a rigorous analytical treatment of a foundational debate in ethics. Readers frequently note the technical density of the prose, which is intended for those already familiar with the primary texts of Plato and Aristotle.