55-02.192.804 (SG) History of Medieval Jewish Philosophy and Thought

Instructors: Prof. Dr. Racheli Haliva

Event type: Advanced seminar

Displayed in timetable as:

Hours per week: 2

Credits: 3,0

Language of instruction: English

Min. | Max. participants: 1 | 5

Comments/contents:
The course provides an introduction to the major works of the classical period of Jewish philosophy from Philo of Alexandria to Spinoza. The goal of the course is not simply to convey positive knowledge about the thinkers discussed but to introduce into the study of primary texts, the difficulties they pose, the questions they ask and the answers they give. 



Philosophy and Tradition: We will start with a discussion first initiated by Falaquera (c. 1225 – 1295) in the “The Epistle of the Debate”. Through this Epistlewe will examine the debate among medieval Jewish scholars regarding the question whether Maimonides’ project of bringing philosophy and religious tradition together is legitimate or whether it is a distortion of authentic Judaism. 
Medieval Thought: Rabbi Yehuda Halevi (c. 1075- c. 1141) in his book The Book of The Kuzari-The Book of Refutation and Proof in Defence of the Despised Faithhe presents two different approaches that reflect both his early and late thought. 
Maimonides (1138-1204) in The Guide of the Perplexed made a serious attempt to combine between the Aristotelian philosophy and the Jewsh faith that is based on the revelation at Mount Sinai. We will discuss few themes in Maimonides’ meditation such as the original sin, prophecy and the commandments. 
Against Medieval Thought: Maimonides’ reconciliation of philosophy and religion dictated the central paradigm for Jewish philosophy for more than four centuries.  This period ends with Spinoza (1632 – 1677) who rejected its basic premise: the prophets are not philosophers and the Torah does not contain scientific truth. Philosophy and religion are essentially different and pursue different goals. Judaism in particular is an obsolete system of laws