What do you think?
Rate this book
Judaic Sources and Western Thought: Jerusalem's Enduring Presence
Judaic Sources and Western Jerusalem's Enduring Presence explores the significance and enduring relevance of Judaic roots and sources of important European and Western moral and political ideas and ideals. The volume focuses on the distinct character of Judaic thought concerning moral value, the individual human being, the nature of political order, relations between human beings, and between human beings and God. In doing so, it shows how Judaic thought contains crucial resources for engaging some of the most important issues of moral and political life.
The currents of thought that have shaped the so-called 'Judeo-Christian' tradition involve diverse perspectives and emphases. The essays in this volume bring into relief the distinctly Judaic origins of many of them and explicate how they remain valuable resources for moral and political thought. These are not essays in Jewish intellectual history; rather, their purpose is to clarify the conceptual resources, insights, and perspectives grounded in Judaic texts and thought. To realize that purpose the essays address important topics in philosophical anthropology, exploring the normative dimensions of human nature and fundamental features of the human condition.
The essays speak to scholars and students in several disciplines and areas of study. These include moral philosophy, religion, philosophy of religion, ethics, Jewish intellectual history, comparative religion, theology, and other areas.The volume draws the work of ten scholars into a coherent whole, reflecting the connections between fundamental insights and commitments of Judaic thought and ideals.
The currents of thought that have shaped the so-called 'Judeo-Christian' tradition involve diverse perspectives and emphases. The essays in this volume bring into relief the distinctly Judaic origins of many of them and explicate how they remain valuable resources for moral and political thought. These are not essays in Jewish intellectual history; rather, their purpose is to clarify the conceptual resources, insights, and perspectives grounded in Judaic texts and thought. To realize that purpose the essays address important topics in philosophical anthropology, exploring the normative dimensions of human nature and fundamental features of the human condition.
The essays speak to scholars and students in several disciplines and areas of study. These include moral philosophy, religion, philosophy of religion, ethics, Jewish intellectual history, comparative religion, theology, and other areas.The volume draws the work of ten scholars into a coherent whole, reflecting the connections between fundamental insights and commitments of Judaic thought and ideals.
296 pages, Hardcover
First published August 30, 2011
2 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 1, 2017
The Durability of Goodness
An essential feature of jewish thought, stemming from genesis, is that the world is essentially good and that Jewish law provides practices to bring out the good in life.
— This view is in contract to the Greek Tragic view, in which tragic luck or chance can overcome or the Plantonic view where goodness is a form removed from humanity which only has access to a mere shadow of goodness (similar to the christian view that it can be accessed through resection).
— The essential goodness is in all humanity, not just particular classes.
— It is not defeated by tragedy (see rabbinic explanation of Bar Kochba revolt p. 38). Rabbis did not ignore tragedy just seeing some level of goodness that the future maybe based on.
— There is an aretaic aspect to goodness ethics - that by imitating god’s goodness it can be actualized by the “tasks and projects of human beings.” 47. It is not magic - but gives us a way to “judge those persons in a reason to do something about, to the extent that we are able. The goodness of being is not delusion or fantasy; it is that tangle of fat invalid launches thought. It is both the origin and goal.” 47-48
Judaism and the Idea of the Future
The biblical view of the world is future oriented. This belief in the future is so ingrained in western culture that we take it for granted. So much so that Kant could simply state (in the Critique of Pure Reason) that aim of philosophy is to answer 3 questions - what can I know; what should I do; and what can I hope for.
Yet, such a future orientation is not universal. Unlike the Odyssey where the point is to get home -to return to some pre-existing order, the Bible sends it’s characters forward into unknown lands and unknown futures - explicitly telling them not to look back. Aristotle argued that hope was tantamount to cowardice.
It is not a future where the the current power struggles are doomed to repeat (cf. Thucydides) but neither is it one where an idealized future must occur either. Such a future relied on human actions.
Kant recognized that without this hope for better times is a pre-supposiiting for moral behavior without which “the human heart would never have been warmed to a serious desire to something useful for the common good.” 50-51.Kant (and Herman Cohen) also felt that the idealized future would always be beyond our grasp, but that did not let us off of the obligation to try.
Yet, hope can lead to a fatalism - that without a complete disruption in the current order - the promised future never will occur. Both apocalyptic visions and those of pure peace fall prey to this.
Maimonides sees the middle ground - the idealized future is not so idealized but something that is reachable.
Hebraism - the third culture
I had a hard time understanding this essay. But its main thrust that the Christian study of Hebrew text and culture became it’s own culture separate from either Christianity or Judaism.
The Political Thought of the Biblical History
The Hebrew Bible is constructed with a particular political theory and lesson in mind. The Jews, twice saved from failed states - the authoritarian Egypt and the anarchy of the judges. The first road leads to bondage the second to dissolution, lack of protection for basic human dignity, and civil war. Neither can people be free. The political theory of the Bible is there is no choice but a state, but it cannot be ones like other nation. Rather they must be limited by seeking "good and the right” and with pre-set limits such as on the boarder of the state, size of the armed forces, what one can do to in alliances, and how far above the king can be from his people.
tradition, rationality and moral life
That the reliance on tradition is not necessarily contra to the rational basis for morals. Tradition can provide a particularist approach to object values, the rational comprehension of which depends on touring what tradition requires. . While human beings are capable of moral excellence and reflecting on objective values, grasping the rational justification of those morals can reinforce concerns, but that humans are also liable to error in making these determinations without the guidance of tradition.
Even without believing in the basis of the tradition (e.g. belief in god) one could see the ethical wisdom in the content of the traditions and find it helpful in using those ethical norms.
Further, tradition reminds one of the community based approach to living ethical life. Thus, tradition is not a replacement for rational moral norms but an aid.
Natural Law. One can see a type of natural law that compliments jewish law. For example, god is required to do justice even though he created the justice. And many areas of law are not detailed by revelation, and natural can supplement.
.
The Politics of Fear: Idolatry and Superstition in Maimonides and Spnoza
- Athens and Jerusalem are not parallel streams, but interconnected tributaries.
- Maimonides sees laws in torah needed for a particular time. Analyzed metaphorically after the need has changed
- for spinoza, superstition played the same role as idolatry for M.
Maimonides and Spinoza on Religious Law
Religious law serves as a political devise - For Maimonides it is a mode a worship that is ruse becauses it uses a form of worship associated with idolatry to wean people off idolatry (idolatry being the superstition of the day) cf Aristotle who uses devises are rewards and punishments intended to motivate actions, Mainomides devises consist of legislated action that mold dispositions for other sort of actions. Thus, observance of the festivals disposes a person to friendship, which he turns from wrongdoing. The torah's training is two dimensions - repeated observance of the moral laws and training the in laws that promotes the disposition needed to act morally. (202)
The Baffling Coexistence of Legalism and Exuberance in Judaic Tradition
Judiams is ostensibly a formal, legalistic tradition, yet it celebrates a rouges gallery of characters. Biblical lore overcomes biblical law e.g. , Legally, the first son inherits. The characters constantly chose the younger. Or the many prohibitions sexual deviancy vs. the many heros who engage in questionable sexual conduct (Abraham, Judah, David) or came from that lineage of "bastards" - David. The article's author argues that there are two types of ways to construct a moral society - build better people or build better walls around bad conduct. The first requires saints; the second allows a wider range of individuals. Jewish practice and Islam, promotes the second.
Individuality
Determinism and freedom. If freedom mean autonomy, freedom and determinism do not exclude each other
Free individuals can form together not just for protection (as in Locke) but for mutual benefit of perfection of human beings
Classic liberalism - each person is unique; Judaism- each person is preciuos
An essential feature of jewish thought, stemming from genesis, is that the world is essentially good and that Jewish law provides practices to bring out the good in life.
— This view is in contract to the Greek Tragic view, in which tragic luck or chance can overcome or the Plantonic view where goodness is a form removed from humanity which only has access to a mere shadow of goodness (similar to the christian view that it can be accessed through resection).
— The essential goodness is in all humanity, not just particular classes.
— It is not defeated by tragedy (see rabbinic explanation of Bar Kochba revolt p. 38). Rabbis did not ignore tragedy just seeing some level of goodness that the future maybe based on.
— There is an aretaic aspect to goodness ethics - that by imitating god’s goodness it can be actualized by the “tasks and projects of human beings.” 47. It is not magic - but gives us a way to “judge those persons in a reason to do something about, to the extent that we are able. The goodness of being is not delusion or fantasy; it is that tangle of fat invalid launches thought. It is both the origin and goal.” 47-48
Judaism and the Idea of the Future
The biblical view of the world is future oriented. This belief in the future is so ingrained in western culture that we take it for granted. So much so that Kant could simply state (in the Critique of Pure Reason) that aim of philosophy is to answer 3 questions - what can I know; what should I do; and what can I hope for.
Yet, such a future orientation is not universal. Unlike the Odyssey where the point is to get home -to return to some pre-existing order, the Bible sends it’s characters forward into unknown lands and unknown futures - explicitly telling them not to look back. Aristotle argued that hope was tantamount to cowardice.
It is not a future where the the current power struggles are doomed to repeat (cf. Thucydides) but neither is it one where an idealized future must occur either. Such a future relied on human actions.
Kant recognized that without this hope for better times is a pre-supposiiting for moral behavior without which “the human heart would never have been warmed to a serious desire to something useful for the common good.” 50-51.Kant (and Herman Cohen) also felt that the idealized future would always be beyond our grasp, but that did not let us off of the obligation to try.
Yet, hope can lead to a fatalism - that without a complete disruption in the current order - the promised future never will occur. Both apocalyptic visions and those of pure peace fall prey to this.
Maimonides sees the middle ground - the idealized future is not so idealized but something that is reachable.
Hebraism - the third culture
I had a hard time understanding this essay. But its main thrust that the Christian study of Hebrew text and culture became it’s own culture separate from either Christianity or Judaism.
The Political Thought of the Biblical History
The Hebrew Bible is constructed with a particular political theory and lesson in mind. The Jews, twice saved from failed states - the authoritarian Egypt and the anarchy of the judges. The first road leads to bondage the second to dissolution, lack of protection for basic human dignity, and civil war. Neither can people be free. The political theory of the Bible is there is no choice but a state, but it cannot be ones like other nation. Rather they must be limited by seeking "good and the right” and with pre-set limits such as on the boarder of the state, size of the armed forces, what one can do to in alliances, and how far above the king can be from his people.
tradition, rationality and moral life
That the reliance on tradition is not necessarily contra to the rational basis for morals. Tradition can provide a particularist approach to object values, the rational comprehension of which depends on touring what tradition requires. . While human beings are capable of moral excellence and reflecting on objective values, grasping the rational justification of those morals can reinforce concerns, but that humans are also liable to error in making these determinations without the guidance of tradition.
Even without believing in the basis of the tradition (e.g. belief in god) one could see the ethical wisdom in the content of the traditions and find it helpful in using those ethical norms.
Further, tradition reminds one of the community based approach to living ethical life. Thus, tradition is not a replacement for rational moral norms but an aid.
Natural Law. One can see a type of natural law that compliments jewish law. For example, god is required to do justice even though he created the justice. And many areas of law are not detailed by revelation, and natural can supplement.
.
The Politics of Fear: Idolatry and Superstition in Maimonides and Spnoza
- Athens and Jerusalem are not parallel streams, but interconnected tributaries.
- Maimonides sees laws in torah needed for a particular time. Analyzed metaphorically after the need has changed
- for spinoza, superstition played the same role as idolatry for M.
Maimonides and Spinoza on Religious Law
Religious law serves as a political devise - For Maimonides it is a mode a worship that is ruse becauses it uses a form of worship associated with idolatry to wean people off idolatry (idolatry being the superstition of the day) cf Aristotle who uses devises are rewards and punishments intended to motivate actions, Mainomides devises consist of legislated action that mold dispositions for other sort of actions. Thus, observance of the festivals disposes a person to friendship, which he turns from wrongdoing. The torah's training is two dimensions - repeated observance of the moral laws and training the in laws that promotes the disposition needed to act morally. (202)
The Baffling Coexistence of Legalism and Exuberance in Judaic Tradition
Judiams is ostensibly a formal, legalistic tradition, yet it celebrates a rouges gallery of characters. Biblical lore overcomes biblical law e.g. , Legally, the first son inherits. The characters constantly chose the younger. Or the many prohibitions sexual deviancy vs. the many heros who engage in questionable sexual conduct (Abraham, Judah, David) or came from that lineage of "bastards" - David. The article's author argues that there are two types of ways to construct a moral society - build better people or build better walls around bad conduct. The first requires saints; the second allows a wider range of individuals. Jewish practice and Islam, promotes the second.
Individuality
Determinism and freedom. If freedom mean autonomy, freedom and determinism do not exclude each other
Free individuals can form together not just for protection (as in Locke) but for mutual benefit of perfection of human beings
Classic liberalism - each person is unique; Judaism- each person is preciuos
Displaying 1 of 1 review