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Jewish Religious Philosophy in the Middle Ages - ARL100215

Title:	Jewish Religious Philosophy in the Middle Ages
Guaranteed by:	Institute of Philosophy and Religious Studies (21-UFAR)
Faculty:	Faculty of Arts
Actual:	from 2012
Semester:	winter
Points:	0
E-Credits:	4
Examination process:	winter s.:
Hours per week, examination:	winter s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
Capacity:	unknown / unknown (unknown)
Min. number of students:	unlimited
4EU+:	no
Virtual mobility / capacity:	no
Key competences:
State of the course:	not taught
Language:	English
Teaching methods:	full-time
Teaching methods:	full-time
Level:

Guarantor:	PhDr. Milan Lyčka, Ph.D.

Schedule Noticeboard

Annotation -

Traditional, Orthodox Judaism is not interested in systematic reflection on the "Jewish faith"-its focus is rather on religious practice. The motivation for a rational, conceptual definition of traditional religious ideas comes, instead, from outside-first, through the direct influence of Greek and Hellenistic thought; then, and to a greater extent, through the influence of rationalistic branches of Islamic theology. While Jewish philosophy has accepted forms and terminology originally foreign to Judaism, it has always conserved the specific content that is bound up with interpretations of the distinctive role of Israel in world history.

The course aims to give a historical survey of the development of Jewish philosophy, from its beginnings in the ancient Greco-Roman world, the confrontation with medieval Islamic thinking, the full development of autonomous Jewish philosophical reflection, to its decline at the end of the Middle Ages. The main religious and philosophical ideas will be discussed and the most important Jewish philosophers will be presented.

Last update: UFRLYCKA (29.09.2011)

Literature

Required Readings:

Julius Guttmann, Philosophies of Judaism. New York: Doubleday & Company, 1966

Isaac Husik, A History of Mediaeval Jewish Philosophy. New York: Atheneum, 1969

Colette Sirat, A History of Jewish Philosophy in the Middle Ages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990

All texts will be available in the Moodle.

Last update: UFRLYCKA (29.09.2011)

Requirements to the exam

The course will be completed by an exam: Students shall submit a final essay of 2,000 words on a topic agreed with the tutor in advance.

Last update: UFRLYCKA (29.09.2011)

Syllabus

October 7, 2011

Philosophical reflection of Judaism in the Bible and the Talmud. Hellenistic Jewish philosophy: Philo of Alexandria

Reading: Guttmann, pp. 3-49

October 14

Historical and intellectual context of the birth of Jewish philosophy in the Middle Ages. Jewish kalām: Saadiah Gaon

Reading: Guttmann, pp. 53-83; or Husik, pp. xiii-l, 23-47; or Sirat, pp. 1-13, 18-37

October 21

Neo-Platonism: Isaac Israeli, Bahya ibn Paquda

Reading: Guttmann, pp. 95-101, 117-124; or Husik, pp. 1-16, 80-105; or Sirat, pp. 57-68, 81-85

November 4

Solomon ibn Gabirol

Reading: Guttmann, pp. 101-117; or Husik, pp. 59-79; or Sirat, pp. 68-81

November 11

Judah Halevi

Reading: Guttmann, pp. 136-151; or Husik, pp. 150-183; or Sirat, pp. 113-131

November 18

Aristotelianism: Abraham ibn Daud

Reading: Guttmann, pp. 152-172; or Husik, pp. 197-235; or Sirat, pp. 141-155

November 25

Maimonides I

Reading: Guttmann, pp. 172-207; or Husik, pp. 236-311; or Sirat, pp. 157-203

December 2

Maimonides II

Reading: Guttmann, pp. 172-207; or Husik, pp. 236-311; or Sirat, pp. 157-203

December 9

Maimonidean controversies. Jewish philosophy in the 13^th century

Reading: Guttmann, pp. 207-236

December 16

The decline of Jewish medieval philosophy. Levi ben Gershom, Hasdai Crescas, Joseph Albo

Reading: Guttmann, pp. 236-291; or Husik, pp. 328-361, 388-427; or Sirat, pp. 282-308, 357-372, 374-381

January 6, 2012

The echo of Jewish medieval philosophy in modern Jewish thought

Reading: Guttmann, pp. 275-324

Last update: UFRLYCKA (29.09.2011)