Maimonides

The most famous of all medieval Jewish thinkers, Moses Maimonides is known for his monumental contributions to Jewish law, theology and medicine and an influence that extends into the wider world. His remarkable work, The Guide for the Perplexed, is notoriously difficult to interpret since Maimonides aimed it at those already versed in both philosophy and the rabbinic tradition and used literary techniques to test his readers and force them to think through his arguments.

Daniel Davies explores Maimonides’ approaches to issues of perennial and universal concern: human nature and the soul, the problem of evil, the creation of the world, the question of God’s existence, and negative theology. He addresses the unusual ways in which Maimonides presented his arguments, contextualizing Maimonides’ thought in the philosophy and religion of his own time, as well as elucidating it for today’s readers.

This philosophically rich introduction is an essential guide for students and scholars of medieval philosophy, philosophy of religion, theology and Jewish studies.

Daniel Davies is a Research Associate at the University of Hamburg.

Acknowledgements

1 Biography and Introduction
2 Life and Humanity
3 The Problem of Evil
4 Creation and Infinity
5 The Nature of Belief in God’s Existence
6 Necessary Existence and Divine Attributes
7 Varying Interpretations and Disputed Instructions: Reading the Guide for the Perplexed

Further Reading
Notes
Bibliography
Index