/o-596540/n/law-reason-morality-in-medieval-jewish-philosophy)
The medieval Jewish philosophers Saadia Gaon, Bahya ibn Pakuda, and Moses Maimonides made significant contributions to moral philosophy in ways that remain relevant today.
Jonathan Jacobs explicates shared, general features of the thought of these thinkers and also highlights their distinctive contributions to understanding moral thought and moral life. The rationalism of these thinkers is a key to their views. They argued that seeking rational understanding of Torah>'s commandments and the created order is crucial to fulfilling the covenant with God, and that intellectual activity and ethical activity form a spiral of mutual reinforcement. In their view, rational comprehension and ethical action jointly constitute a life of holiness. Their insights are important in their own right and are also relevant to enduring issues in moral epistemology and moral psychology, resonating even in the contemporary context.Places medieval Jewish moral thought in relation to influential approaches such as practical wisdom and natural law
Provides in depth analysis of the thought of Sadia Gaon, Bahya ibn Pakuda, and Moses Maimonides and highlights their rationalism
Connects themes and issues in medieval thought with contemporary philosophical debates
Focuses on central concerns of moral psychology and metaethics
Jonathan Jacobs explicates shared, general features of the thought of these thinkers and also highlights their distinctive contributions to understanding moral thought and moral life. The rationalism of these thinkers is a key to their views. They argued that seeking rational understanding of Torah>'s commandments and the created order is crucial to fulfilling the covenant with God, and that intellectual activity and ethical activity form a spiral of mutual reinforcement. In their view, rational comprehension and ethical action jointly constitute a life of holiness. Their insights are important in their own right and are also relevant to enduring issues in moral epistemology and moral psychology, resonating even in the contemporary context.Places medieval Jewish moral thought in relation to influential approaches such as practical wisdom and natural law
Provides in depth analysis of the thought of Sadia Gaon, Bahya ibn Pakuda, and Moses Maimonides and highlights their rationalism
Connects themes and issues in medieval thought with contemporary philosophical debates
Focuses on central concerns of moral psychology and metaethics
