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A thorough and accessible introduction to Maimonides, arguably one of the most important Jewish philosophers of all time. This work incorporates material from Maimonides' philosophical, legal, and medical works, providing a synoptic picture of Maimonides' philosophical range.
* Maimonides was, and remains, one of the most influential and important Jewish legalists, who devoted himself to a reconceptualization of the entirety of Jewish law
* Offers both an intellectual biography and an exploration of the most important philosophical works in Maimonides' corpus
* Persuasively argues that Maimonides did see himself as engaged in philosophical dialogue
* Maimonides' philosophy is presented in a way that is accessible to readers with little background in either Jewish or medieval philosophy
* Secondary readings are provided at the end of each chapter, as well as a bibliography of recent scholarly articles on some of the more pressing philosophical topics covered in the book
List of contents
Preface.
Abbreviations.
1. Life and Works.
2. Language, Logic, and the Art of Demonstration.
3. What we can say about God.
4. Philosophical Cosmology.
5. Philosophical Anthropology.
6. Naturalism and Supernaturalism: PROPHECY, Miracles, and Divine Will.
7. Philosophical Theology: Divine Providence, Human Freedom, and Theodicy.
8. Morality, Politics, and the Law.
9. On Human Felicity.
Bibliography.
Index.
About the author
T. M. Rudavsky is Professor of Philosophy at The Ohio State University. She specializes in medieval Jewish philosophy, and is the author of
Time Matters: Creation, Time and Cosmology in Medieval Jewish Philosophy (2000). She has edited three volumes:
Divine Omniscience and Omnipotence in Medieval Philosophy: Islamic, Jewish, and Christian Perspectives (1984);
Gender and Judaism: Tradition and Transformation (1995); and
The Cambridge History of Medieval Jewish Philosophy (co-edited with Steven Nadler, 2009). In addition, she has written numerous articles pertaining to medieval Jewish philosophy.
Summary
A thorough and accessible introduction to Maimonides, arguably one of the most important Jewish philosophers of all time. This work incorporates material from Maimonides' philosophical, legal, and medical works, providing a synoptic picture of Maimonides' philosophical range.
Report
"...I finish by noting that [this book] is aimed both at scholars in the field and at students, and also at those with no knowledge of Maimonides. All these groups will find it useful for different reasons. It will make an excellent first port of call for students looking for a serious way into Maimonides studies, and also for scholars in related fields, who will find a comprehensive account of the immense and daunting secondary literature, and of the questions discussed therein. Scholars of Maimonides will benefit from the philosophical clarity and the range of sources that Rudavsky brings to many of the discussions. She has done a good job of emulating Maimonides' own success in speaking to different audiences in a single book." (Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, 16 November 2011)
"In recent years there has been an outpouring of books on Maimonides. This is the best one as far as his philosophy is concerned. Readers will enjoy [Rudavsky's] presentation of the cut and thrust of debate at the time, and the ways it has been continued right up to today, and there is much to learn from this book. Anyone looking for a text to use in the classroom which will engage students on Maimonides' philosophy need look no further since here it is." (Journal of Jewish Studies, 1 March 2011)
"A thorough and accessible introduction to Maimonides, arguably one of the most important Jewish Philosophers of all time...The author offers both an intellectual biography and an exploration of the most important philosophical works in Maimonides' corpus, and persuasively argues that Maimonides did see himself as engaged in philosophical dialogue." (Studies in Spirituality, 2010)
(T. M. Rudavsky) interpretations are excellent summaries of the master's teachings and readers can gain much information and thought-provoking ideas from reading it. (The Jewish Eye, April 2010)
