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Book Cover
E-book
Author Whitman, Norman Lee.

Title An examination of the singular in Maimonides and Spinoza : prophecy, intellect, and politics / Norman L. Whitman
Published Cham, Switzerland : Palgrave Macmillan, [2020]
©2020

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Description 1 online resource (xiv, 278 pages)
Contents 1. Introduction -- 2. Prophecy and Intuition: Singular Knowledge in Maimonides and Spinozas Philosophy -- 3. Out of Many: Prophecy and Sovereign Authority in Maimonides and Spinozas 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
Summary 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
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Subject Maimonides, Moses, 1135-1204.
Spinoza, Benedictus de, 1632-1677.
SUBJECT Maimonides, Moses, 1135-1204 fast
Spinoza, Benedictus de, 1632-1677 fast
Subject Perfection.
Jewish philosophy.
perfection.
Philosophy: metaphysics & ontology.
Judaism: theology.
Philosophy -- Metaphysics.
Religion -- Judaism -- Theology.
Jewish philosophy
Perfection
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9783030494728
3030494721