Die Philosophie des Judentums

by Julius Guttmann

Philosophies of Judaism is a complete and authoritative history of Jewish philosophy, from biblical times through its period of great vitality in the Middle Ages to the turn of this century. Professor Guttmann is both historian and interpreter, setting forth with great clarity basic information about each important thinker and movement, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses, and assessing their contributions.

It is Professor Guttmann's underlying thesis that there cannot be a single philosophy of Judaism, because Judaism has never given official sanction or preference to one philosophic tradition over others. Every doctrine of Judaism, whether biblical, rational, empirical, or mystic, yields a more or less accurate image of Judaism to the extent that it comes to grips with the basic realities of Jewish religious experience: the existence of God, the primacy of Torah, and the history of the Jewish people.

Genres: Philosophy, Judaism, Religion, Judaica

447 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1964

Reviews

[Paul Nagy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deft and thorough account of Jewish philosophy from medieval times to the flourishing of Kant into the early 20th century. Guttmann may no longer be current, popular or timely, but his masterful sweep of the thought of the times remains persuasive, plausible, provocative.

[David Goldman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting history of Jewish philosophy. Throughout there is long tension of how to develop a philosophy that distinctly jewish but also consistant with general philosophy. Particularly, the role that reason plays started early. If reason is the key, what is the role of revelation? Tradition?
1. Biblical
* God creates a universe apart from himself from his will. God stands as the moral will of the universe. Personal relationships
* Cf mystical. God hidden. We must transcend creation. Impersonal
* Not metaphysical
* Moral will accessible through doing the will of god
* Concern with suffering. Afterlife not a reward
Hellenistic
* Ecclesiastical. Very little Greek content ( no argument. No reason. No structure). Has some affinity with stoic
* Wisdom of Solomon. Contains many Greek references sometimes verbatim.
* Later Greeks reference Jews as a philosophy cult (Strabo)
* Maccabees IV. Wants to be book of Greek philosophy and sources.
* Philo. The first attempt to create a Jewish religion philosophy. The first religious philosophy
Talmudic
* Rejecting or just ignoring the Hellenistic philosophical tradition
* Not philosophical and no use for Greek scientific philosophy or an intellectual defense from different traditions
* Individual, applying rules on a case by case approach, not developing an overall philosophy
* Attempts to generalize teaching (lot’s of “the three things” and other summaries
* All truth had been revealed b both in torah and oral tradition. Merely applied that truth to individual cases. Freedom is mans ability to close to follow the law
Early Middle Ages
* Dominated by Islamic philosophy. Never really picked up the christian scholastic tradition
* Started as a defense against other traditions but non=monotheistic (farsi) and non-religious at all.
* Long history of Neo-platonic and then Neo-Aristotelian. They struggled with the role reason and revelation. Culminating in Mamonadies who the most successful synthesizer.
Enlightenment
Dominated by Neo-Kantian philosophy. Franz Rosenzweig is listed on the first original jewish philosopher of the era.

[Gene Bales · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the finest histories of philosophy I have ever read. I regret I waited so long to actually tackle it--it had been sitting on my shelf for some years before I picked it up and resolved to read it at long last.
The book is an incomparable examination of how Jewish thinkers used philosophical analysis to throw light on their own religion. The historical scope of the book is remarkable--from Biblical times to the 20th century. The author, Julius Guttmann, was a terrific scholar of both his own religion and of philosophy. It is not an easy read at times--and I say that as someone who has read and taught philosophy my entire career. But there is no better book on this subject than Guttmann's. It is remarkable!

[Ozifer Eris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how abstract and dense the [metaphysical and religious] philosophical concepts and distinctions were throughout this book. Thank you Julius Guttmann!
If only a German Jew would transcribe this into an audiobook.

[David Withun · Rating 4 out of 5]

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