Maimonides in His World: Portrait of a Mediterranean Thinker (Jews, Christians, and Muslims from the Ancient to the Modern World, 44)

While the great medieval philosopher, theologian, and physician Maimonides is acknowledged as a leading Jewish thinker, his intellectual contacts with his surrounding world are often described as related primarily to Islamic philosophy. __Maimonides in His World__ challenges this view by revealing him to have wholeheartedly lived, breathed, and espoused the rich Mediterranean culture of his time. Sarah Stroumsa argues that Maimonides is most accurately viewed as a Mediterranean thinker who consistently interpreted his own Jewish tradition in contemporary multicultural terms. Maimonides spent his entire life in the Mediterranean region, and the religious and philosophical traditions that fed his thought were those of the wider world in which he lived. Stroumsa demonstrates that he was deeply influenced not only by Islamic philosophy but by Islamic culture as a whole, evidence of which she finds in his philosophy as well as his correspondence and legal and scientific writings. She begins with a concise biography of Maimonides, then carefully examines key aspects of his thought, including his approach to religion and the complex world of theology and religious ideas he encountered among Jews, Christians, Muslims, and even heretics; his views about science; the immense and unacknowledged impact of the Almohads on his thought; and his vision of human perfection. This insightful cultural biography restores Maimonides to his rightful place among medieval philosophers and affirms his central relevance to the study of medieval Islam. While The Great Medieval Philosopher, Theologian, And Physician Maimonides Is Acknowledged As A Leading Jewish Thinker, His Intellectual Contacts With His Surrounding World Are Often Described As Related Primarily To Islamic Philosophy. Maimonides In His World Challenges This View By Revealing Him To Have Wholeheartedly Lived, Breathed, And Espoused The Rich Mediterranean Culture Of His Time. Sarah Stroumsa Argues That Maimonides Is Most Accurately Viewed As A Mediterranean Thinker Who Consistently Interpreted His Own Jewish Tradition In Contemporary Multicultural Terms. Maimonides Spent His Entire Life In The Mediterranean Region, And The Religious And Philosophical Traditions That Fed His Thought Were Those Of The Wider World In Which He Lived. Stroumsa Demonstrates That He Was Deeply Influenced Not Only By Islamic Philosophy But By Islamic Culture As A Whole, Evidence Of Which She Finds In His Philosophy As Well As His Correspondence And Legal And Scientific Writings. She Begins With A Concise Biography Of Maimonides, Then Carefully Examines Key Aspects Of His Thought, Including His Approach To Religion And The Complex World Of Theology And Religious Ideas He Encountered Among Jews, Christians, Muslims, And Even Heretics; His Views About Science; The Immense And Unacknowledged Impact Of The Almohads On His Thought; And His Vision Of Human Perfection. This Insightful Cultural Biography Restores Maimonides To His Rightful Place Among Medieval Philosophers And Affirms His Central Relevance To The Study Of Medieval Islam.--jacket. Maimonides And Mediterranean Culture -- Mediterranean Cultures -- Maimonides As A Mediterranean Thinker -- Horizons -- Transformations In The Jewish World -- Maimnonides And Saadia -- The Theological Context Of Maimonides' Thought -- Islamic Theology -- Heresies, Jewish And Muslim -- An Almohad Fundamentalist? -- Almohads -- Maimonides And The Almohads -- Legal Aspects -- Theology -- Exegesis And Political Philosophy -- Philosophy And Astronomy -- Conclusion -- La Longue Durée : Maimonides As A Phenomenologist Of Religion -- Sabians -- Maimonides As An Historian Of Religion -- A Wise And Understanding People? : The Religion Of The People -- A Critical Mind : Mamonides As Scientist -- Medicine And Science -- Ravings : Maimonides' Concept Of Pseudo-science -- From Moses To Moses : Maimonides' Vision Of Perfection -- True Felicity : The Hereafter In Maimonides' Thought -- Issues Of Life And Death : The Controversy Regarding Resurrection -- Gates For The Righteous Nation : The Philosopher As Leader. Sara Stroumsa. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "While the great medieval philosopher, theologian, and physician Maimonides is acknowledged as a leading Jewish thinker, his intellectual contacts with his surrounding world are often described as related primarily to Islamic philosophy. Maimonides in His World challenges this view by revealing him to have wholeheartedly lived, breathed, and espoused the rich Mediterranean culture of his time." "Sarah Stroumsa argues that Maimonides is most accurately viewed as a Mediterranean thinker who consistently interpreted his own Jewish tradition in contemporary multicultural terms. Maimonides spent his entire life in the Mediterranean region, and the religious and philosophical traditions that fed his thought were those of the wider world in which he lived. Stroumsa demonstrates that he was deeply influenced not only by Islamic philosophy but by Islamic culture as a whole, evidence of which she finds in his philosophy as well as his correspondence and legal and scientific writings. She begins with a concise biography of Maimonides, then carefully examines key aspects of his thought, including his approach to religion and the complex world of theology and religious ideas he encountered among Jews, Christians, Muslims, and even heretics; his views about science; the immense and unacknowledged impact of the Almohads on his thought; and his vision of human perfection." "This insightful cultural biography restores Maimonides to his rightful place among medieval philosophers and affirms his central relevance to the study of medieval Islam."--> na zavihkih ščitnega ov Cover 1 Contents 10 Preface 12 Acknowledgments 18 Abbreviations 20 CHAPTER ONE: Maimonides and Mediterranean Culture 24 Mediterranean Cultures 26 Maimonides as a Mediterranean Thinker 29 Horizons 36 Transformations in the Jewish World 41 Maimonides and Saadia 45 CHAPTER TWO: The Theological Context of Maimonides’ Thought 47 Islamic Theology 47 Heresies, Jewish and Muslim 61 CHAPTER THREE: An Almohad “Fundamentalist”? 76 Almohads 76 Maimonides and the Almohads 82 Legal Aspects 84 Theology 93 Exegesis and Political Philosophy 96 Philosophy and Astronomy 103 Conclusion 105 CHAPTER FOUR: La Longue Durée: Maimonides as a Phenomenologist of Religion 107 Sabians 107 Maimonides as an Historian of Religion 129 “A Wise and Understanding People?”: The Religion of the People 134 CHAPTER FIVE: A Critical Mind: Maimonides as Scientist 148 Medicine and Science 148 “Ravings”: Maimonides’ Concept of Pseudo- Science 161 CHAPTER SIX: “From Moses to Moses”: Maimonides’ Vision of Perfection 176 “True Felicity”: The Hereafter in Maimonides’ Thought 176 Issues of Life and Death: The Controversy Regarding Resurrection 188 “Gates for the Righteous Nation”: The Philosopher as Leader 206 CONCLUSION 212 Bibliography 216 Index 242 A 242 B 242 C 242 D 242 E 242 F 243 G 243 H 243 I 243 J 243 K 244 L 244 M 244 N 244 O 245 P 245 Q 245 R 245 S 245 T 245 U 245 W 245 Y 245 Z 245 Maimonides and Mediterranean culture Mediterranean cultures Maimonides as a Mediterranean thinker Horizons Transformations in the Jewish world Maimnonides and Saadia The theological context of Maimonides's thought Islamic theology Heresies, Jewish, and Muslim An Almohad "fundamentalist" Almohads Maimonides and the Almohads Legal aspects Theology Exegesis and political philosophy Philosophy and astronomy La longue duree : Maimonides as a phenomenologist of religion Sabians Maimonides as an historian of religions "A wise and understanding people?" : the religion of the people A critical mind : Mamonides as scientist Medicine and science Ravings : Maimonides' concept of pseudo-science From Moses to Moses : Maimonides's vision of perfection True felicity : the hereafter in Maimonides' thought Issues of life and death : the controversy regarding resurrection "Gates for the righteous nation" : the philosopher as leader.