Synopsis
"With every advance in knowledge, scholars of the Middle Ages, much like scholars of the 21st century, were at a loss to explain the gap between religion and the science and philosophy of the day. In this 12th-century volume, Maimonides bridges that gap. As a result, The Guide for the Perplexed, widely considered Maimonides¿ most universal work, influenced not only Jewish scholarship but Moslem and Christian ideas as well. Intended especially for the serious student of Judaism or medieval scholarship, this volume, here in its complete and unabridged form, is a reissue of what has long been recognized as one of the most important works of religious philosophy ever written. Spanish Jewish philosopher and Talmudic scholar MOSES MAIMONIDES (1135¿1204) was the leading intellectual figure of medieval Judaism. In addition to his works on religious philosophy, he is the author of numerous writings on law, medicine, mathematics, and logic."
From the Back Cover
This is the full, unabridged text of one of the greatest philosophic works of all time. Written by a 12th- century thinker who was equally active as an original philosopher and as a Biblical and Talmudic scholar, it is both a classic of great historical importance and a work of living significance today.
The Guide for the Perplexed was written for scholars who were bewildered by the conflict between religion and the scientific and philosophic thought of the day. It is concerned, basically, with finding a concord between the religion of the Old Testament and its commentaries, and Aristotelian philosophy. After analyzing the ideas of the Old Testament by means of "homonyms," Maimonides examines other reconciliations of religion and philosophy (the Moslem rationalists) and then proposes his own resolution with contemporary Aristotelianism.
The Guide for the Perplexed was at once recognized as a masterwork, and it strongly influenced Jewish, Christian, and Moslem thought of the Middle Ages. It is necessary reading for any full comprehension of the thought of such scholastics as Aquinas and Scotus, and indispensable for everyone interested in the Middle Ages, Judaism, medieval philosophy, or the larger problems which Maimonides discusses.
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