Spinoza and Medieval Jewish Philosophy

Spinoza and Medieval Jewish Philosophy

Author: Steven M. Nadler

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2014-12-04

Total Pages: 249

ISBN-13: 1107037867

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The first of its kind, this essay collection offers an extensive examination of Spinoza's relationship to medieval Jewish philosophy.


Book Synopsis Spinoza and Medieval Jewish Philosophy by : Steven M. Nadler

Download or read book Spinoza and Medieval Jewish Philosophy written by Steven M. Nadler and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-12-04 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first of its kind, this essay collection offers an extensive examination of Spinoza's relationship to medieval Jewish philosophy.


Prophecy

Prophecy

Author: Howard Kreisel

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2003-02-28

Total Pages: 688

ISBN-13: 1402011814

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

More than any other topic, prophecy represents the point at which the Divine meets the human, the Absolute meets the relative. How can a human being attain the Word of God? In what manner does God, when conceived as eternal and transcendent, address corporeal, transitory creatures? What happens to God's divine Truth when it is beheld by minds limited in their power to apprehend, and influenced by the intellectual currents of their time and place? How were these issues viewed by the great Jewish philosophers of the past, who took the divine communication and all it entails seriously, while at the same time desired to understand it as much as humanly possible in the course of dealing with a myriad of other issues that occupied their attention? This book offers an in-depth study of prophecy in the thought of seven of the leading medieval Jewish philosophers: R. Saadiah Gaon, R. Judah Halevi, Maimonides, Gersonides, R. Hasdai Crescas, R. Joseph Albo and Baruch Spinoza. It attempts to capture the `original voice' of these thinkers by looking at the intellectual milieus in which they developed their philosophies, and by carefully analyzing their views in their textual contexts. It also deals with the relation between the earlier approaches and the later ones. Overall, this book presents a significant model for narrating the history of an idea.


Book Synopsis Prophecy by : Howard Kreisel

Download or read book Prophecy written by Howard Kreisel and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2003-02-28 with total page 688 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More than any other topic, prophecy represents the point at which the Divine meets the human, the Absolute meets the relative. How can a human being attain the Word of God? In what manner does God, when conceived as eternal and transcendent, address corporeal, transitory creatures? What happens to God's divine Truth when it is beheld by minds limited in their power to apprehend, and influenced by the intellectual currents of their time and place? How were these issues viewed by the great Jewish philosophers of the past, who took the divine communication and all it entails seriously, while at the same time desired to understand it as much as humanly possible in the course of dealing with a myriad of other issues that occupied their attention? This book offers an in-depth study of prophecy in the thought of seven of the leading medieval Jewish philosophers: R. Saadiah Gaon, R. Judah Halevi, Maimonides, Gersonides, R. Hasdai Crescas, R. Joseph Albo and Baruch Spinoza. It attempts to capture the `original voice' of these thinkers by looking at the intellectual milieus in which they developed their philosophies, and by carefully analyzing their views in their textual contexts. It also deals with the relation between the earlier approaches and the later ones. Overall, this book presents a significant model for narrating the history of an idea.


Baruch Or Benedict

Baruch Or Benedict

Author: Zeev Levy

Publisher: Peter Lang Incorporated, International Academic Publishers

Published: 1989

Total Pages: 244

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book investigates various aspects of the controversial relations between Spinoza's philosophy and his Jewish background. It examines some important trends of medieval Jewish philosophy on the shaping of Spinoza's thought - particularly the impact of Maimonides. The book elucidates the differences between Spinoza and his predecessors in regard to Bible criticism, and dwells extensively on the concepts of Substance and Pantheism. It also discusses Spinoza's views of Judaism and the Jewish people, the relationship between state and religion, and some problems of his «Hebrew Grammar».


Book Synopsis Baruch Or Benedict by : Zeev Levy

Download or read book Baruch Or Benedict written by Zeev Levy and published by Peter Lang Incorporated, International Academic Publishers. This book was released on 1989 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book investigates various aspects of the controversial relations between Spinoza's philosophy and his Jewish background. It examines some important trends of medieval Jewish philosophy on the shaping of Spinoza's thought - particularly the impact of Maimonides. The book elucidates the differences between Spinoza and his predecessors in regard to Bible criticism, and dwells extensively on the concepts of Substance and Pantheism. It also discusses Spinoza's views of Judaism and the Jewish people, the relationship between state and religion, and some problems of his «Hebrew Grammar».


Jewish Themes in Spinoza's Philosophy

Jewish Themes in Spinoza's Philosophy

Author: Heidi M. Ravven

Publisher: State University of New York Press

Published: 2012-02-01

Total Pages: 301

ISBN-13: 0791488934

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Breaking new ground in the study of Spinoza's philosophy, the essays in this volume explore the extent to which Spinoza may be considered a Jewish thinker. The rich diversity of Spinoza scholarship today is represented here by a wide range of intellectual methods and scholarly perspectives—from Jewish philosophy and history, to Cartesian-analytic and Continental-Marxist streams of interpretation, to the disciplines of political science and intellectual history. Two questions underlie all the essays: How and in what measure is Spinoza's a Jewish philosophy, and what is its impact on the project of Jewish philosophy as a living enterprise now and for the future? The contributors' varied perspectives afford a highly nuanced vision of the multifaceted Judaic tradition itself, as refracted through the Spinozist lens. What draws them together is the quest for enduring insights that emerge from the philosophy of Spinoza.


Book Synopsis Jewish Themes in Spinoza's Philosophy by : Heidi M. Ravven

Download or read book Jewish Themes in Spinoza's Philosophy written by Heidi M. Ravven and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 2012-02-01 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Breaking new ground in the study of Spinoza's philosophy, the essays in this volume explore the extent to which Spinoza may be considered a Jewish thinker. The rich diversity of Spinoza scholarship today is represented here by a wide range of intellectual methods and scholarly perspectives—from Jewish philosophy and history, to Cartesian-analytic and Continental-Marxist streams of interpretation, to the disciplines of political science and intellectual history. Two questions underlie all the essays: How and in what measure is Spinoza's a Jewish philosophy, and what is its impact on the project of Jewish philosophy as a living enterprise now and for the future? The contributors' varied perspectives afford a highly nuanced vision of the multifaceted Judaic tradition itself, as refracted through the Spinozist lens. What draws them together is the quest for enduring insights that emerge from the philosophy of Spinoza.


Jewish Philosophy in the Middle Ages

Jewish Philosophy in the Middle Ages

Author: T. M. Rudavsky

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2018-07-11

Total Pages: 344

ISBN-13: 0192557661

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

T. M. Rudavsky presents a new account of the development of Jewish philosophy from the tenth century to Spinoza in the seventeenth, viewed as part of an ongoing dialogue with medieval Christian and Islamic thought. Her aim is to provide a broad historical survey of major figures and schools within the medieval Jewish tradition, focusing on the tensions between Judaism and rational thought. This is reflected in particular philosophical controversies across a wide range of issues in metaphysics, language, cosmology, and philosophical theology. The book illuminates our understanding of medieval thought by offering a much richer view of the Jewish philosophical tradition, informed by the considerable recent research that has been done in this area.


Book Synopsis Jewish Philosophy in the Middle Ages by : T. M. Rudavsky

Download or read book Jewish Philosophy in the Middle Ages written by T. M. Rudavsky and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018-07-11 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: T. M. Rudavsky presents a new account of the development of Jewish philosophy from the tenth century to Spinoza in the seventeenth, viewed as part of an ongoing dialogue with medieval Christian and Islamic thought. Her aim is to provide a broad historical survey of major figures and schools within the medieval Jewish tradition, focusing on the tensions between Judaism and rational thought. This is reflected in particular philosophical controversies across a wide range of issues in metaphysics, language, cosmology, and philosophical theology. The book illuminates our understanding of medieval thought by offering a much richer view of the Jewish philosophical tradition, informed by the considerable recent research that has been done in this area.


Spinoza's Heresy

Spinoza's Heresy

Author: Steven Nadler

Publisher: Clarendon Press

Published: 2001-12-06

Total Pages: 246

ISBN-13: 0191529974

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

At the heart of Spinoza's Heresy is a mystery: why was Baruch Spinoza so harshly excommunicated from the Amsterdam Jewish community at the age of twenty-four? In this philosophical sequel to his acclaimed, award-winning biography of the seventeenth-century thinker, Steven Nadler argues that Spinoza's main offence was a denial of the immortality of the soul. But this only deepens the mystery. For there is no specific Jewish dogma regarding immortality: there is nothing that a Jew is required to believe about the soul and the afterlife. It was, however, for various religious, historical and political reasons, simply the wrong issue to pick on in Amsterdam in the 1650s. After considering the nature of the ban, or cherem, as a disciplinary tool in the Sephardic community, and a number of possible explanations for Spinoza's ban, Nadler turns to the variety of traditions in Jewish religious thought on the postmortem fate of a person's soul. This is followed by an examination of Spinoza's own views on the eternity of the mind and the role that that the denial of personal immortality plays in his overall philosophical project. Nadler argues that Spinoza's beliefs were not only an outgrowth of his own metaphysical principles, but also a culmination of an intellectualist trend in Jewish rationalism.


Book Synopsis Spinoza's Heresy by : Steven Nadler

Download or read book Spinoza's Heresy written by Steven Nadler and published by Clarendon Press. This book was released on 2001-12-06 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At the heart of Spinoza's Heresy is a mystery: why was Baruch Spinoza so harshly excommunicated from the Amsterdam Jewish community at the age of twenty-four? In this philosophical sequel to his acclaimed, award-winning biography of the seventeenth-century thinker, Steven Nadler argues that Spinoza's main offence was a denial of the immortality of the soul. But this only deepens the mystery. For there is no specific Jewish dogma regarding immortality: there is nothing that a Jew is required to believe about the soul and the afterlife. It was, however, for various religious, historical and political reasons, simply the wrong issue to pick on in Amsterdam in the 1650s. After considering the nature of the ban, or cherem, as a disciplinary tool in the Sephardic community, and a number of possible explanations for Spinoza's ban, Nadler turns to the variety of traditions in Jewish religious thought on the postmortem fate of a person's soul. This is followed by an examination of Spinoza's own views on the eternity of the mind and the role that that the denial of personal immortality plays in his overall philosophical project. Nadler argues that Spinoza's beliefs were not only an outgrowth of his own metaphysical principles, but also a culmination of an intellectualist trend in Jewish rationalism.


Spinoza's Challenge to Jewish Thought

Spinoza's Challenge to Jewish Thought

Author: Daniel B. Schwartz

Publisher:

Published: 2019

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781584657118

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Arguably, no historical thinker has had as varied and fractious a reception within modern Judaism as Baruch (Benedict) Spinoza (1632-77), the seventeenth-century philosopher, pioneering biblical critic, and Jewish heretic from Amsterdam. Revered in many circles as the patron saint of secular Jewishness, he has also been branded as the worst traitor to the Jewish people in modern times. Jewish philosophy has cast Spinoza as marking a turning point between the old and the new, as a radicalizer of the medieval tradition and table setter for the modern. He has served as a perennial landmark and point of reference in the construction of modern Jewish identity. This volume brings together excerpts from central works in the Jewish response to Spinoza. True to the diversity of Spinoza's Jewish reception, it features a mix of genres, from philosophical criticism to historical fiction, from tributes to diary entries, providing the reader with a sense of the overall historical development of Spinoza's posthumous legacy.


Book Synopsis Spinoza's Challenge to Jewish Thought by : Daniel B. Schwartz

Download or read book Spinoza's Challenge to Jewish Thought written by Daniel B. Schwartz and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Arguably, no historical thinker has had as varied and fractious a reception within modern Judaism as Baruch (Benedict) Spinoza (1632-77), the seventeenth-century philosopher, pioneering biblical critic, and Jewish heretic from Amsterdam. Revered in many circles as the patron saint of secular Jewishness, he has also been branded as the worst traitor to the Jewish people in modern times. Jewish philosophy has cast Spinoza as marking a turning point between the old and the new, as a radicalizer of the medieval tradition and table setter for the modern. He has served as a perennial landmark and point of reference in the construction of modern Jewish identity. This volume brings together excerpts from central works in the Jewish response to Spinoza. True to the diversity of Spinoza's Jewish reception, it features a mix of genres, from philosophical criticism to historical fiction, from tributes to diary entries, providing the reader with a sense of the overall historical development of Spinoza's posthumous legacy.


Time Matters

Time Matters

Author: T.M. Rudavsky

Publisher: State University of New York Press

Published: 2012-02-01

Total Pages: 310

ISBN-13: 0791493253

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Despite the importance of time and cosmology to Western thought, surprisingly little attention has been paid to these issues in histories of Jewish philosophy. Focusing on how medieval philosophers constructed a philosophical theology that was sensitive to religious constraints and yet also incorporated compelling elements of science and philosophy, T. M. Rudavsky traces the development of the concepts of time, cosmology, and creation in the writings of Ibn Gabirol, Maimonides, Gersonides, Crescas, Spinoza, and others.


Book Synopsis Time Matters by : T.M. Rudavsky

Download or read book Time Matters written by T.M. Rudavsky and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 2012-02-01 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despite the importance of time and cosmology to Western thought, surprisingly little attention has been paid to these issues in histories of Jewish philosophy. Focusing on how medieval philosophers constructed a philosophical theology that was sensitive to religious constraints and yet also incorporated compelling elements of science and philosophy, T. M. Rudavsky traces the development of the concepts of time, cosmology, and creation in the writings of Ibn Gabirol, Maimonides, Gersonides, Crescas, Spinoza, and others.


Philosophical Religions from Plato to Spinoza

Philosophical Religions from Plato to Spinoza

Author: Carlos Fraenkel

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2012-11-22

Total Pages: 357

ISBN-13: 0521194571

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This groundbreaking account of the concept of a philosophical religion traces its history from antiquity to the Enlightenment.


Book Synopsis Philosophical Religions from Plato to Spinoza by : Carlos Fraenkel

Download or read book Philosophical Religions from Plato to Spinoza written by Carlos Fraenkel and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012-11-22 with total page 357 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This groundbreaking account of the concept of a philosophical religion traces its history from antiquity to the Enlightenment.


A Book Forged in Hell

A Book Forged in Hell

Author: Steven Nadler

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2011-10-09

Total Pages: 299

ISBN-13: 069113989X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

When it appeared in 1670, Baruch Spinoza's Theological-Political Treatise was denounced as the most dangerous book ever published. Religious and secular authorities saw it as a threat to faith, social and political harmony, and everyday morality, and its author was almost universally regarded as a religious subversive and political radical who sought to spread atheism throughout Europe. Steven Nadler tells the story of this book: its radical claims and their background in the philosophical, religious, and political tensions of the Dutch Golden Age, as well as the vitriolic reaction these ideas inspired. A vivid story of incendiary ideas and vicious backlash, A Book Forged in Hell will interest anyone who is curious about the origin of some of our most cherished modern beliefs--Jacket p. [2].


Book Synopsis A Book Forged in Hell by : Steven Nadler

Download or read book A Book Forged in Hell written by Steven Nadler and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2011-10-09 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When it appeared in 1670, Baruch Spinoza's Theological-Political Treatise was denounced as the most dangerous book ever published. Religious and secular authorities saw it as a threat to faith, social and political harmony, and everyday morality, and its author was almost universally regarded as a religious subversive and political radical who sought to spread atheism throughout Europe. Steven Nadler tells the story of this book: its radical claims and their background in the philosophical, religious, and political tensions of the Dutch Golden Age, as well as the vitriolic reaction these ideas inspired. A vivid story of incendiary ideas and vicious backlash, A Book Forged in Hell will interest anyone who is curious about the origin of some of our most cherished modern beliefs--Jacket p. [2].