An Examination of the Singular in Maimonides and Spinoza

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 isthat both Maimonides and Spinoza realize that an apolitical life undermines individual and social flourishing.

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

Auteur

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.

Contenu

1. Introduction.- 2. Prophecy and Intuition: Singular Knowledge in Maimonides' and Spinoza's Philosophy.- 3. Out of Many: Prophecy and Sovereign Authority in Maimonides' and Spinoza's Politics.- 4. A Singular Method: A Healing of the Soul and an Emendation of the Intellect.- 5. The Demand of the Concrete: The Non-Contingency of Language.- 6. The Place of Reason.