Decoding the Tragic in Aristotle: From Involuntariness in the ^IEthics^R to the Puzzles of the ^IPoetics^R

Decoding the Tragic in Aristotle posits that a specific form of involuntary action lies at the heart of Aristotle's conception of the tragic-a point that remains unexplained in the Poetics.This key insight is illuminated through Aristotle's ethical works, particularly the Nicomachean Ethics and Eudemian Ethics, where the philosopher discusses a type of counter-voluntary error (hamartia) rooted in ignorance of particulars.These references clarify the tragic mechanisms behind the most celebrated dramatic structures in Poetics chapters 13 and 14, which have long appeared inexplicably contradictory. Aristotle's notion of involuntariness is distinct from mere accident, chance, or misfortune.It represents the highest tragic degree when fully integrated into the action that tragedy depicts, evoking the most profound pity, fear, and a sense of wonder.While the ethical treatises help clarify Aristotle's aesthetic theory, they do not-as is sometimes claimed-impose a moral or didactic framework o