Overview
Presents an alternative reading of the works of Maimonides and Spinoza
Suggests an implicit Maimonidean influence on Spinoza’s thought
Discusses Jewish philosophy not merely as a secondary influence on major currents of philosophical thought but as a vibrant and important resource to understand major philosophical problems dealt with by a major secular thinker such as Spinoza
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Table of contents (6 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
This book presents an alternative reading of the respective works of Moses Maimonides and Baruch Spinoza. It argues that both thinkers are primarily concerned with the singular perfection of the complete human being rather than with attaining only rational knowledge. Complete perfection of a human being expresses the unique concord of concrete activities, such as ethics, politics, and psychology, with reason. The necessity of concrete historical activities in generating perfection entails that both thinkers are not primarily concerned with an “escape” to a metaphysical realm of transcendent or universal truths via cognition. Instead, both are focused on developing and cultivating individuals’ concrete desires and activities to the potential benefit of all. This book argues that rather than solely focusing on individual enlightenment, both thinkers are primarily concerned with a political life and the improvement of fellow citizens’ capacities. A key theme throughout the text is that both Maimonides and Spinoza realize that an apolitical life undermines individual and social flourishing.
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Norman L. Whitman is a Lecturer of Philosophy at the University of Houston—Downtown. His primary research focuses on the philosophy of Baruch Spinoza and Spinoza’s relation to the history of philosophy.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: An Examination of the Singular in Maimonides and Spinoza
Book Subtitle: Prophecy, Intellect, and Politics
Authors: Norman L. Whitman
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49472-8
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-49471-1Published: 15 August 2020
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-49474-2Published: 16 August 2021
eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-49472-8Published: 14 August 2020
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XIV, 278
Topics: Jewish Theology, Metaphysics