Jewish and Islamic Philosophy: Crosspollinations in the Classical Age - Hardcover

Goodman, Lenn E.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0748612777 ISBN 13: 9780748612772

Publisher: Edinburgh University Press, 1999

Synopsis

This book explores the major philosophical issues in the historic interplay of Islamic and Jewish philosophy. The problems considered are issues of abiding philosophical interest: * Freedom and determinism * The nature and meaning of history * The basis of ethical values * The foundations and social implications of friendship * The viability and relevance of the idea of God The approach taken here is distinctive in several ways. The perspective is cross-cultural, rather than parochial, synthetic rather than descriptive. The object is not to find the 'sources' of ideas, as if to credit the philosophical originality of one group or cast aspersions on the philosophical dependency of another, but rather to follow a conversation that takes place across the centuries.

About this title

Review:

This is an excellent work of philosophical scholarship. It is written with warmth and informed by a wide and sympathetic knowledge of texts, ancient, mediaeval, and modern ! this is a work of clear vision and deep learning. Lenn Goodman is well-known as an intelligent and elegant commentator on Jewish and Islamic philosophy, and this collection of essays will not disappoint the reader ... they fit together very well, and Goodman provides a new and useful introduction to them...the particular theses which Goodman presents are highly plausible and well argued, and he throws up in often original ways connections between thinkers who are not normally connected, and a lot can be learnt from such an exercise. Anyone who is interested in the areas of Jewish and Islamic thought, and indeed classical Greek thought, will find much of interest in this book. A nicely-produced and well-edited volume of stimulating papers ... While newcomers to the field will find much that is of interest, specialists will be compelled to reconsider and re-articulate their own opinions, especially in response to the author's numerous passing claims, suggestion, and intimations. This is an excellent work of philosophical scholarship. It is written with warmth and informed by a wide and sympathetic knowledge of texts, ancient, mediaeval, and modern ! this is a work of clear vision and deep learning. Lenn Goodman is well-known as an intelligent and elegant commentator on Jewish and Islamic philosophy, and this collection of essays will not disappoint the reader ... they fit together very well, and Goodman provides a new and useful introduction to them...the particular theses which Goodman presents are highly plausible and well argued, and he throws up in often original ways connections between thinkers who are not normally connected, and a lot can be learnt from such an exercise. Anyone who is interested in the areas of Jewish and Islamic thought, and indeed classical Greek thought, will find much of interest in this book. A nicely-produced and well-edited volume of stimulating papers ... While newcomers to the field will find much that is of interest, specialists will be compelled to reconsider and re-articulate their own opinions, especially in response to the author's numerous passing claims, suggestion, and intimations.

About the Author:

Lenn E Goodman is Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

About this edition

• Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0748612777
• ISBN 13: 9780748612772
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 272