Eyal Ben-Eliyahu, Yehudah Cohn, and Fergus Millar
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780197265222
- eISBN:
- 9780191771873
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265222.001.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Literary Studies: Classical, Early, and Medieval
From major seminal works such as the Mishnah or the Palestinian and Babylonian Talmuds, to Biblical commentaries, translations of Biblical books into Aramaic or relatively little-known mystical, ...
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From major seminal works such as the Mishnah or the Palestinian and Babylonian Talmuds, to Biblical commentaries, translations of Biblical books into Aramaic or relatively little-known mystical, liturgical, or apocalyptic writings, this book is a complete guide to the rich tradition of Jewish literature in the second to seventh centuries of the Common Era. Each work is described in a way that covers its contents, dating, language, and accessibility (or otherwise) in print or online. The aim throughout is to cover all of this literature and to answer the following questions: What Jewish literature, written either in Hebrew or Aramaic, has survived? What different genres of such literature are there? What printed texts or translations into any modern language, or commentaries (either in Hebrew or a European language) are there? And, for those who want to enquire further, what are the manuscripts on which modern editions are based?Less
From major seminal works such as the Mishnah or the Palestinian and Babylonian Talmuds, to Biblical commentaries, translations of Biblical books into Aramaic or relatively little-known mystical, liturgical, or apocalyptic writings, this book is a complete guide to the rich tradition of Jewish literature in the second to seventh centuries of the Common Era. Each work is described in a way that covers its contents, dating, language, and accessibility (or otherwise) in print or online. The aim throughout is to cover all of this literature and to answer the following questions: What Jewish literature, written either in Hebrew or Aramaic, has survived? What different genres of such literature are there? What printed texts or translations into any modern language, or commentaries (either in Hebrew or a European language) are there? And, for those who want to enquire further, what are the manuscripts on which modern editions are based?
L. Weiskrantz
- Published in print:
- 1990
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780198521921
- eISBN:
- 9780191706226
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198521921.001.0001
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience
Damage to a particular area of the brain — the neocortex — is generally understood to result in blindness. Studies of some patients who have suffered from this form of blindness have nevertheless ...
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Damage to a particular area of the brain — the neocortex — is generally understood to result in blindness. Studies of some patients who have suffered from this form of blindness have nevertheless revealed that they can, in fact, discriminate certain types of visual events within their ‘blind’ fields without being aware that they can do so: they think they are only ‘guessing’. This phenomenon has been termed ‘blindsight’ by the author of this book and his collaborators who were among the first to describe it. It continues to attract considerable interest among neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers who see possible implications for theories of perception and consciousness. This book gives an account of the research into a particular case of blindsight, together with a discussion of the historical and neurological background. The empirical findings are followed by a review of other cases reported by other investigators, in which there is a dysjunction between clinical assessment of blindness and unexpected findings of residual function. Finally, a number of theoretical and practical issues and implications are discussed. This reissued version of the text includes a new Introduction summarizing some of the advances that have taken place in the field since the book was first published in 1986.Less
Damage to a particular area of the brain — the neocortex — is generally understood to result in blindness. Studies of some patients who have suffered from this form of blindness have nevertheless revealed that they can, in fact, discriminate certain types of visual events within their ‘blind’ fields without being aware that they can do so: they think they are only ‘guessing’. This phenomenon has been termed ‘blindsight’ by the author of this book and his collaborators who were among the first to describe it. It continues to attract considerable interest among neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers who see possible implications for theories of perception and consciousness. This book gives an account of the research into a particular case of blindsight, together with a discussion of the historical and neurological background. The empirical findings are followed by a review of other cases reported by other investigators, in which there is a dysjunction between clinical assessment of blindness and unexpected findings of residual function. Finally, a number of theoretical and practical issues and implications are discussed. This reissued version of the text includes a new Introduction summarizing some of the advances that have taken place in the field since the book was first published in 1986.
Nils Jansen
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199588763
- eISBN:
- 9780191723315
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199588763.001.0001
- Subject:
- Law, Philosophy of Law
Accounts of the nature of legal authority typically focus on the authority of officially sanctioned rules issued by legally recognised bodies — legislatures, courts, and regulators — that fit ...
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Accounts of the nature of legal authority typically focus on the authority of officially sanctioned rules issued by legally recognised bodies — legislatures, courts, and regulators — that fit comfortably within traditional state-centred concepts of law. Such accounts neglect the more complex processes involved in acquiring legal authority. Throughout the history of modern legal systems, texts have come to acquire authority for legal officials without being issued by a legislature or a court. From Justinian's Institutes and Blackstone's Commentaries, to modern examples such as the American Law Institute's Restatements and the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts, academic codifications have come to be seen as legally authoritative, and their norms applied as such in courts and other contexts. How have such texts acquired legal authority? Does their authority undermine the orthodox accounts of the nature of legal systems? Drawing on examples from Roman law to the present day, this book offers a comparative analysis of non-legislative codifications. It offers a contribution to the debates surrounding the harmonisation of European private law, and the growth of international law.Less
Accounts of the nature of legal authority typically focus on the authority of officially sanctioned rules issued by legally recognised bodies — legislatures, courts, and regulators — that fit comfortably within traditional state-centred concepts of law. Such accounts neglect the more complex processes involved in acquiring legal authority. Throughout the history of modern legal systems, texts have come to acquire authority for legal officials without being issued by a legislature or a court. From Justinian's Institutes and Blackstone's Commentaries, to modern examples such as the American Law Institute's Restatements and the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts, academic codifications have come to be seen as legally authoritative, and their norms applied as such in courts and other contexts. How have such texts acquired legal authority? Does their authority undermine the orthodox accounts of the nature of legal systems? Drawing on examples from Roman law to the present day, this book offers a comparative analysis of non-legislative codifications. It offers a contribution to the debates surrounding the harmonisation of European private law, and the growth of international law.
Steven Heine
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195135862
- eISBN:
- 9780199834297
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195135865.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Buddhism
Opening a Mountain is a translation with a commentary of 60 koan cases that feature an important supernatural or ritual element selected from a variety of the major and minor Zen ...
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Opening a Mountain is a translation with a commentary of 60 koan cases that feature an important supernatural or ritual element selected from a variety of the major and minor Zen Buddhist koan collections compiled in Sung China and Kamakura Japan. The koan is a brief, enigmatic anecdote or dialog between two contesting parties that defines the heart. The book demonstrates that the main theme underlying much of the koan literature deals with how Zen masters opened or transformed mountains. The transforming of spiritual forces that had been closing off the mountains into manifestations of sacred space in Zen was referred to as kuai‐shan in Chinese (or kaizan in Japanese). The mountains harbored spirits, demons, and bodhisattvas, as well as hermits, recluses, ascetics, and other irregular practitioners, and were opened using the symbols and rituals of spiritual purification. In contrast with conventional interpretations that view koans as psychological exercises with a purely iconoclastic intention, the approach here highlights the rich component of mythological and marvelous elements that pervade this genre of literature in a way that complements, rather than contradicts, the demythological or iconoclastic perspective. This approach to interpreting Zen literature is distinctive and innovative in several respects. Opening a Mountain includes the selection of koan cases emphasizing supernatural symbols, such as mountains, animals, and other natural imagery, based on a scholarly standard of translation and citation of source materials. The main topics include “Surveying Mountain Landscapes,” “Contesting with Irregular Rivals,” “Encountering Supernatural Forces,” “Wielding Symbols of Authority,” and “Giving Life and Controlling Death as Confessional Experiences.”Less
Opening a Mountain is a translation with a commentary of 60 koan cases that feature an important supernatural or ritual element selected from a variety of the major and minor Zen Buddhist koan collections compiled in Sung China and Kamakura Japan. The koan is a brief, enigmatic anecdote or dialog between two contesting parties that defines the heart. The book demonstrates that the main theme underlying much of the koan literature deals with how Zen masters opened or transformed mountains. The transforming of spiritual forces that had been closing off the mountains into manifestations of sacred space in Zen was referred to as kuai‐shan in Chinese (or kaizan in Japanese). The mountains harbored spirits, demons, and bodhisattvas, as well as hermits, recluses, ascetics, and other irregular practitioners, and were opened using the symbols and rituals of spiritual purification. In contrast with conventional interpretations that view koans as psychological exercises with a purely iconoclastic intention, the approach here highlights the rich component of mythological and marvelous elements that pervade this genre of literature in a way that complements, rather than contradicts, the demythological or iconoclastic perspective. This approach to interpreting Zen literature is distinctive and innovative in several respects. Opening a Mountain includes the selection of koan cases emphasizing supernatural symbols, such as mountains, animals, and other natural imagery, based on a scholarly standard of translation and citation of source materials. The main topics include “Surveying Mountain Landscapes,” “Contesting with Irregular Rivals,” “Encountering Supernatural Forces,” “Wielding Symbols of Authority,” and “Giving Life and Controlling Death as Confessional Experiences.”
J. Christopher King
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199272181
- eISBN:
- 9780191603433
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199272182.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
This book explores Origen’s interpretation of the Song of Songs in his Commentary and two Homilies on the Song of Songs. Origen portrays the Song under two complementary and inseparable aspects: ...
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This book explores Origen’s interpretation of the Song of Songs in his Commentary and two Homilies on the Song of Songs. Origen portrays the Song under two complementary and inseparable aspects: first, as the unique Scripture in which the eschatological nuptials of Christ and his Bride are really present as text; second, as the spirit of Scripture unveiled, laid bare, and fully manifest in all its erotic power to lure, inflame, and make the reader ‘one spirit’ with the Lord. The study proceeds in two parts. The first establishes some of the relevant principles of Origen’s hermeneutic, and clears away prior accounts of his Song exegesis that have obscured the actual foundations of the reading developed in the Commentary and Homilies. The second part shows that Origen’s actual exegetical procedure in the Commentary proves that his spiritual reading of the Song is rooted entirely in certain hermeneutical demands, not in psychological or ascetical compulsions. These hermeneutical demands lead Origen to make the greatest conceivable claims for the character of the Song, namely that the Song fully and intelligibly represents the eschatological mystery, manifesting the ‘spirit’ of Scripture in the plan form of a text.Less
This book explores Origen’s interpretation of the Song of Songs in his Commentary and two Homilies on the Song of Songs. Origen portrays the Song under two complementary and inseparable aspects: first, as the unique Scripture in which the eschatological nuptials of Christ and his Bride are really present as text; second, as the spirit of Scripture unveiled, laid bare, and fully manifest in all its erotic power to lure, inflame, and make the reader ‘one spirit’ with the Lord. The study proceeds in two parts. The first establishes some of the relevant principles of Origen’s hermeneutic, and clears away prior accounts of his Song exegesis that have obscured the actual foundations of the reading developed in the Commentary and Homilies. The second part shows that Origen’s actual exegetical procedure in the Commentary proves that his spiritual reading of the Song is rooted entirely in certain hermeneutical demands, not in psychological or ascetical compulsions. These hermeneutical demands lead Origen to make the greatest conceivable claims for the character of the Song, namely that the Song fully and intelligibly represents the eschatological mystery, manifesting the ‘spirit’ of Scripture in the plan form of a text.
Ruth Glasner
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199567737
- eISBN:
- 9780191721472
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199567737.003.0003
- Subject:
- Philosophy, History of Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
Averroes wrote three commentaries on the Physics and revised all three. Therefore a diachronic study is absolutely essential. It is usually assumed that Averroes' commentaries in general were written ...
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Averroes wrote three commentaries on the Physics and revised all three. Therefore a diachronic study is absolutely essential. It is usually assumed that Averroes' commentaries in general were written in the ‘natural’ order: first the short, then the middle, and finally the long commentary. Recently, however, this assumption was challenged by Alfred Ivry, arguing that the long commentary on De anima was written before the long commentary. This brief chapter adduces evidence to show that the commentaries on the Physics were written in the natural order, and throws some light also on the case of De anima.Less
Averroes wrote three commentaries on the Physics and revised all three. Therefore a diachronic study is absolutely essential. It is usually assumed that Averroes' commentaries in general were written in the ‘natural’ order: first the short, then the middle, and finally the long commentary. Recently, however, this assumption was challenged by Alfred Ivry, arguing that the long commentary on De anima was written before the long commentary. This brief chapter adduces evidence to show that the commentaries on the Physics were written in the natural order, and throws some light also on the case of De anima.
Ruth Glasner
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199567737
- eISBN:
- 9780191721472
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199567737.003.0010
- Subject:
- Philosophy, History of Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
The three turning points that were studied in chapters 6‐8 are facets of a major turning point in Averroes' thought that led to the consolidation of his ‘Aristotelian atomism’. Chapter 9 examines the ...
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The three turning points that were studied in chapters 6‐8 are facets of a major turning point in Averroes' thought that led to the consolidation of his ‘Aristotelian atomism’. Chapter 9 examines the arguments that were made in the previous three chapters about dating of this turning potint, and whether it was associated with the writing of the middle commentary or with the writing of the long. The data is very confusing. The conclusion, stated in Chapter 9, is that the turning point could have been influenced by his arguments with the mutakallimūn around 1180 and that Averroes worked out his new physics when he was writing the long commentary. At this stage he looked for the writings of Alexander and tried to find support in them. The revisions of all three commentaries were made after the writing of the long commentary.Less
The three turning points that were studied in chapters 6‐8 are facets of a major turning point in Averroes' thought that led to the consolidation of his ‘Aristotelian atomism’. Chapter 9 examines the arguments that were made in the previous three chapters about dating of this turning potint, and whether it was associated with the writing of the middle commentary or with the writing of the long. The data is very confusing. The conclusion, stated in Chapter 9, is that the turning point could have been influenced by his arguments with the mutakallimūn around 1180 and that Averroes worked out his new physics when he was writing the long commentary. At this stage he looked for the writings of Alexander and tried to find support in them. The revisions of all three commentaries were made after the writing of the long commentary.
Daniel Davies
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199768738
- eISBN:
- 9780199918980
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199768738.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
This chapter explains the place that metaphysics holds in Maimonides' thought. It also introduces the question of esotericism in the Guide and scholarship on Maimonides. It explains that the Guide is ...
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This chapter explains the place that metaphysics holds in Maimonides' thought. It also introduces the question of esotericism in the Guide and scholarship on Maimonides. It explains that the Guide is a multilayered commentary on a multilayered book; it is both exegesis and imitation of the Bible. There are a number of biblical features that it attempts to reproduce, including the variety of messages and the multiple methods of communication aimed at different levels of audience.Less
This chapter explains the place that metaphysics holds in Maimonides' thought. It also introduces the question of esotericism in the Guide and scholarship on Maimonides. It explains that the Guide is a multilayered commentary on a multilayered book; it is both exegesis and imitation of the Bible. There are a number of biblical features that it attempts to reproduce, including the variety of messages and the multiple methods of communication aimed at different levels of audience.
John Kilcullen
- Published in print:
- 1988
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198266914
- eISBN:
- 9780191683114
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198266914.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Philosophy of Religion
The chapters in this book reflect upon Pierre Bayle's Philosophical Commentary on the Words of the Gospel ‘Compel them to come in’, which appeared in parts in 1686–88, a classic statement of the case ...
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The chapters in this book reflect upon Pierre Bayle's Philosophical Commentary on the Words of the Gospel ‘Compel them to come in’, which appeared in parts in 1686–88, a classic statement of the case for toleration. The first two chapters are concerned with controversies about religious toleration in the 17th century, and the rest discuss philosophical questions relating to toleration and to the broader liberal idea of an open society. Three of the chapters originally appeared in the Philosophy Research Archives and are reproduced here with alterations.Less
The chapters in this book reflect upon Pierre Bayle's Philosophical Commentary on the Words of the Gospel ‘Compel them to come in’, which appeared in parts in 1686–88, a classic statement of the case for toleration. The first two chapters are concerned with controversies about religious toleration in the 17th century, and the rest discuss philosophical questions relating to toleration and to the broader liberal idea of an open society. Three of the chapters originally appeared in the Philosophy Research Archives and are reproduced here with alterations.
John Kilcullen
- Published in print:
- 1988
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198266914
- eISBN:
- 9780191683114
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198266914.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Philosophy of Religion
This introductory chapter presents an overview of the four chapters featured in this volume. The chapters all arose in one way or another from reflection on Pierre Bayle's Philosophical Commentary on ...
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This introductory chapter presents an overview of the four chapters featured in this volume. The chapters all arose in one way or another from reflection on Pierre Bayle's Philosophical Commentary on the Words of the Gospel, ‘Compel them to come in’, one of the classics of the 17th-century debate about religious toleration. Bayle wrote the Philosophical Commentary to advocate religious toleration at a time when it seemed almost a lost cause. Deeply committed to that cause, he was also an enemy to faulty reasoning even from himself. A man of sharp intelligence, in philosophy and theology he was very well informed.Less
This introductory chapter presents an overview of the four chapters featured in this volume. The chapters all arose in one way or another from reflection on Pierre Bayle's Philosophical Commentary on the Words of the Gospel, ‘Compel them to come in’, one of the classics of the 17th-century debate about religious toleration. Bayle wrote the Philosophical Commentary to advocate religious toleration at a time when it seemed almost a lost cause. Deeply committed to that cause, he was also an enemy to faulty reasoning even from himself. A man of sharp intelligence, in philosophy and theology he was very well informed.
Robert Eisen
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195171532
- eISBN:
- 9780199785162
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195171532.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
This introductory chapter begins with a discussion of the fascination with the Book of Job as evidenced by the diverse body of interpretations throughout the ages from religious thinkers in Judaism ...
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This introductory chapter begins with a discussion of the fascination with the Book of Job as evidenced by the diverse body of interpretations throughout the ages from religious thinkers in Judaism and Christianity from late antiquity to modern academic scholars. It presents a background of medieval Jewish philosophy, and then reviews the major challenges that interpreters of Job have faced throughout the ages. The present study aims to go beyond providing a description of how medieval Jewish philosophers read the Book of Job by drawing much-needed attention to the exegetical literature in medieval Jewish philosophy in general. By analyzing how medieval Jewish philosophers interpreted the Book of Job, the exegesis of these thinkers is brought to light as an exciting chapter in the history of Jewish thought, which neither scholars of medieval Jewish philosophy nor scholars of medieval Jewish exegesis can afford to ignore. A proper examination of the commentaries chosen and an assessment of their significance both as philosophical and exegetical works require that these be discussed on a number of levels. For each commentary, the discussion will focus on three interfaces: between the commentaries and their antecedent sources, between the commentaries and the biblical text, and between the commentaries and the systematic thought of the medieval Jewish philosophers.Less
This introductory chapter begins with a discussion of the fascination with the Book of Job as evidenced by the diverse body of interpretations throughout the ages from religious thinkers in Judaism and Christianity from late antiquity to modern academic scholars. It presents a background of medieval Jewish philosophy, and then reviews the major challenges that interpreters of Job have faced throughout the ages. The present study aims to go beyond providing a description of how medieval Jewish philosophers read the Book of Job by drawing much-needed attention to the exegetical literature in medieval Jewish philosophy in general. By analyzing how medieval Jewish philosophers interpreted the Book of Job, the exegesis of these thinkers is brought to light as an exciting chapter in the history of Jewish thought, which neither scholars of medieval Jewish philosophy nor scholars of medieval Jewish exegesis can afford to ignore. A proper examination of the commentaries chosen and an assessment of their significance both as philosophical and exegetical works require that these be discussed on a number of levels. For each commentary, the discussion will focus on three interfaces: between the commentaries and their antecedent sources, between the commentaries and the biblical text, and between the commentaries and the systematic thought of the medieval Jewish philosophers.
Robert Eisen
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195171532
- eISBN:
- 9780199785162
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195171532.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
This chapter begins with a synopsis of Gersonides’ views on providence in his systematic work for the purpose of getting acquainted with the basic philosophical concepts that underlie his commentary ...
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This chapter begins with a synopsis of Gersonides’ views on providence in his systematic work for the purpose of getting acquainted with the basic philosophical concepts that underlie his commentary on Job. It then proceeds with an analysis of the commentary on Job in accordance with the three interfaces. The discussion of the third interface returns the to treatment of providence in Gersonides’ The Wars of the Lord and gives an evaluation of its relationship to the commentary on Job. It is shown that Gersonides’ reading of Job represents an important transition in the interpretation of this text in medieval Jewish philosophy. With this reading, Aristotelianism still reigns supreme as the thought system for interpreting Job; yet, a conservative step has been taken away from the most radical type of Aristotelian reading found in Ibn Tibbon.Less
This chapter begins with a synopsis of Gersonides’ views on providence in his systematic work for the purpose of getting acquainted with the basic philosophical concepts that underlie his commentary on Job. It then proceeds with an analysis of the commentary on Job in accordance with the three interfaces. The discussion of the third interface returns the to treatment of providence in Gersonides’ The Wars of the Lord and gives an evaluation of its relationship to the commentary on Job. It is shown that Gersonides’ reading of Job represents an important transition in the interpretation of this text in medieval Jewish philosophy. With this reading, Aristotelianism still reigns supreme as the thought system for interpreting Job; yet, a conservative step has been taken away from the most radical type of Aristotelian reading found in Ibn Tibbon.
Robert Eisen
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195171532
- eISBN:
- 9780199785162
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195171532.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
Because Duran presents his systematic views on providence in his introduction to the commentary on Job, this chapter will deal with Duran’s thinking on this issue as part of the summary of the ...
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Because Duran presents his systematic views on providence in his introduction to the commentary on Job, this chapter will deal with Duran’s thinking on this issue as part of the summary of the commentary, rather than in a separate section. The analysis as a whole will be aided by the fact that Duran’s philosophical thought is in many respects a reaction against Maimonides, and he therefore does not adopt esoteric discourse. It is shown that Duran’s commentary on Job presents another rich and original interpretation of the book. While his exposition is dependent on previous philosophical readings of Job — particularly Saadiah’s — Duran’s commentary also betrays the strong influence of non-philosophical sources in rabbinic midrash and Kabbalah, and these influences result in a reading of Job that is very conservative in orientation. The traditional turn initiated by Gersonides is completed in Duran. This provides a reading of Job that is “rationalistic” in the broad sense of the term, but one that has abandoned Aristotelianism and its concomitant radicalism.Less
Because Duran presents his systematic views on providence in his introduction to the commentary on Job, this chapter will deal with Duran’s thinking on this issue as part of the summary of the commentary, rather than in a separate section. The analysis as a whole will be aided by the fact that Duran’s philosophical thought is in many respects a reaction against Maimonides, and he therefore does not adopt esoteric discourse. It is shown that Duran’s commentary on Job presents another rich and original interpretation of the book. While his exposition is dependent on previous philosophical readings of Job — particularly Saadiah’s — Duran’s commentary also betrays the strong influence of non-philosophical sources in rabbinic midrash and Kabbalah, and these influences result in a reading of Job that is very conservative in orientation. The traditional turn initiated by Gersonides is completed in Duran. This provides a reading of Job that is “rationalistic” in the broad sense of the term, but one that has abandoned Aristotelianism and its concomitant radicalism.
Robert Eisen
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195171532
- eISBN:
- 9780199785162
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195171532.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
This study examined six readings of Job spanning five centuries; they originate in geographical locations as far apart as Baghdad and Provence; they reflect a wide range of philosophical orientations ...
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This study examined six readings of Job spanning five centuries; they originate in geographical locations as far apart as Baghdad and Provence; they reflect a wide range of philosophical orientations and perspectives; and they contain numerous insights about every aspect of Job. The remaining challenge is to formulate general conclusions about this material. This purpose will be greatly aided by the scheme of three interfaces around which this study has been organized. These interfaces are reviewed to draw general conclusions about these readings of Job as a collective. The implications of these conclusions for the field of medieval Jewish philosophy as a whole are also discussed.Less
This study examined six readings of Job spanning five centuries; they originate in geographical locations as far apart as Baghdad and Provence; they reflect a wide range of philosophical orientations and perspectives; and they contain numerous insights about every aspect of Job. The remaining challenge is to formulate general conclusions about this material. This purpose will be greatly aided by the scheme of three interfaces around which this study has been organized. These interfaces are reviewed to draw general conclusions about these readings of Job as a collective. The implications of these conclusions for the field of medieval Jewish philosophy as a whole are also discussed.
George E. Karamanolis
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199264568
- eISBN:
- 9780191603990
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199264562.003.0008
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
Porphyry was much more involved in the study of Aristotle’s work than any other Platonist before him. It is shown that Porphyry criticized Aristotle, but he also considered him to have agreed with ...
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Porphyry was much more involved in the study of Aristotle’s work than any other Platonist before him. It is shown that Porphyry criticized Aristotle, but he also considered him to have agreed with Plato in all crucial philosophical issues in physics, psychology, ethics, and metaphysics. Porphyry did not deny that Aristotle sometimes contradicted Plato. What he denied was that these contradictions undermined their essential accord. In Porphyry’s view, most of Aristotle’s disagreements with Plato can be reduced either to difference in perspective, or to Aristotle’s misunderstandings of Plato, or to misunderstandings of Aristotle by later interpreters.Less
Porphyry was much more involved in the study of Aristotle’s work than any other Platonist before him. It is shown that Porphyry criticized Aristotle, but he also considered him to have agreed with Plato in all crucial philosophical issues in physics, psychology, ethics, and metaphysics. Porphyry did not deny that Aristotle sometimes contradicted Plato. What he denied was that these contradictions undermined their essential accord. In Porphyry’s view, most of Aristotle’s disagreements with Plato can be reduced either to difference in perspective, or to Aristotle’s misunderstandings of Plato, or to misunderstandings of Aristotle by later interpreters.
Isabel Moreira
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199736041
- eISBN:
- 9780199894628
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199736041.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
This chapter examines how purgatory was described and understood in the works of Bede and Boniface. Particular attention is given to Bede as the author of works in which purgatory was given ...
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This chapter examines how purgatory was described and understood in the works of Bede and Boniface. Particular attention is given to Bede as the author of works in which purgatory was given theological context and legitimation as orthodox belief. The chapter examines the role of friendship ties and gift-giving in Anglo-Saxon society and in the intercessory practices of Bede’s time. The chapter also considers the cultural and religious influences that informed Anglo-Saxon Christianity and explores the potential importance of Anglo-Saxon England’s close ties with eastern Christianity. Key texts discussed include Boniface’s Vision of the Monk of Wenlock and the works of Bede: the Vision of Drythelm, Homily for Advent, Commentary on Isaiah, and Commentary on Proverbs.Less
This chapter examines how purgatory was described and understood in the works of Bede and Boniface. Particular attention is given to Bede as the author of works in which purgatory was given theological context and legitimation as orthodox belief. The chapter examines the role of friendship ties and gift-giving in Anglo-Saxon society and in the intercessory practices of Bede’s time. The chapter also considers the cultural and religious influences that informed Anglo-Saxon Christianity and explores the potential importance of Anglo-Saxon England’s close ties with eastern Christianity. Key texts discussed include Boniface’s Vision of the Monk of Wenlock and the works of Bede: the Vision of Drythelm, Homily for Advent, Commentary on Isaiah, and Commentary on Proverbs.
L. Weiskrantz
- Published in print:
- 1990
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780198521921
- eISBN:
- 9780191706226
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198521921.003.0019
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience
The chapter ranges broadly over a number of topics, and summarizes the empirical findings on D. B. of 1986. It discusses issues that arose when blindsight research first emerged. These include stray ...
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The chapter ranges broadly over a number of topics, and summarizes the empirical findings on D. B. of 1986. It discusses issues that arose when blindsight research first emerged. These include stray light and other artefacts, with the appropriate controls that have been applied. The question of whether blindsight is degraded normal vision, together with other relevant research, is considered. The question of response criteria in signal detection terms is aired. Neural pathways and levels are reviewed together with a discussion of the differential physiological and anatomical properties of striate vs. non-striate pathways. A definition of blindsight is advanced, followed by a discussion of the importance of addressed issues of awareness in biology and for practical aspects of empirical research. The chapter ends with a discussion of the importance of ‘commentary keys’ for neuropsychological research and the underlying ‘commentary system’.Less
The chapter ranges broadly over a number of topics, and summarizes the empirical findings on D. B. of 1986. It discusses issues that arose when blindsight research first emerged. These include stray light and other artefacts, with the appropriate controls that have been applied. The question of whether blindsight is degraded normal vision, together with other relevant research, is considered. The question of response criteria in signal detection terms is aired. Neural pathways and levels are reviewed together with a discussion of the differential physiological and anatomical properties of striate vs. non-striate pathways. A definition of blindsight is advanced, followed by a discussion of the importance of addressed issues of awareness in biology and for practical aspects of empirical research. The chapter ends with a discussion of the importance of ‘commentary keys’ for neuropsychological research and the underlying ‘commentary system’.
K. P. Clarke
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199607778
- eISBN:
- 9780191729546
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199607778.003.0006
- Subject:
- Literature, Early and Medieval Literature, European Literature
This book is concerned with the contexts of Chaucer's Italian sources and how those sources were produced throughout the fourteenth century in ways that offered rich modes of reading material ...
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This book is concerned with the contexts of Chaucer's Italian sources and how those sources were produced throughout the fourteenth century in ways that offered rich modes of reading material textuality. While dealing with sources in the tradition sense, it has sought to extend the parameters of what constitutes a source to the whole page: margin, gloss, script, support, size and the many other features of a book that exert hermeneutic force on the reader.Less
This book is concerned with the contexts of Chaucer's Italian sources and how those sources were produced throughout the fourteenth century in ways that offered rich modes of reading material textuality. While dealing with sources in the tradition sense, it has sought to extend the parameters of what constitutes a source to the whole page: margin, gloss, script, support, size and the many other features of a book that exert hermeneutic force on the reader.
Tony K. Stewart
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195392722
- eISBN:
- 9780199777327
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195392722.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Hinduism
The Caitanya caritāmṛta opened with the doctrine of the pañca tattva, the theological basis for Caitanya’s descent with his retinue, dhāma, whose individuals were named by the hundreds. To articulate ...
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The Caitanya caritāmṛta opened with the doctrine of the pañca tattva, the theological basis for Caitanya’s descent with his retinue, dhāma, whose individuals were named by the hundreds. To articulate a unified Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava community, Kṛṣṇadāsa adopted the metaphor of the tree of bhakti: Caitanya’s gurus the roots, Caitanya the trunk, and four key branches, locating every devotee in Bengal, Orissa, and Vraja. By highlighting prior works, the Caitanya caritāmṛta functioned as commentary on tradition. Kṛṣṇadāsa’s pervasive rhetoric of humility leaves the impression of reportage; yet he proffered privileged readings, inserted theological arguments in Caitanya’s mouth, and expanded stories with previously unknown information. His seemingly passing praise of select devotees and texts impels the reader to never-explicitly-stated conclusions, a technique of indirect assertion by analogy. The resulting acts of inclusion and exclusion gently guide the reader to sanctioned readings, the founding canon. These strategies together constituted a grammar of tradition.Less
The Caitanya caritāmṛta opened with the doctrine of the pañca tattva, the theological basis for Caitanya’s descent with his retinue, dhāma, whose individuals were named by the hundreds. To articulate a unified Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava community, Kṛṣṇadāsa adopted the metaphor of the tree of bhakti: Caitanya’s gurus the roots, Caitanya the trunk, and four key branches, locating every devotee in Bengal, Orissa, and Vraja. By highlighting prior works, the Caitanya caritāmṛta functioned as commentary on tradition. Kṛṣṇadāsa’s pervasive rhetoric of humility leaves the impression of reportage; yet he proffered privileged readings, inserted theological arguments in Caitanya’s mouth, and expanded stories with previously unknown information. His seemingly passing praise of select devotees and texts impels the reader to never-explicitly-stated conclusions, a technique of indirect assertion by analogy. The resulting acts of inclusion and exclusion gently guide the reader to sanctioned readings, the founding canon. These strategies together constituted a grammar of tradition.
Tony K. Stewart
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195392722
- eISBN:
- 9780199777327
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195392722.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Hinduism
Subsequent authors perpetuated the Gauḍīya tradition mimicking the Caitanya caritāmṛta. Narahari Cakravartī’s Bhaktiratnākara most successfully emulated its rhetoric, writing his generation’s history ...
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Subsequent authors perpetuated the Gauḍīya tradition mimicking the Caitanya caritāmṛta. Narahari Cakravartī’s Bhaktiratnākara most successfully emulated its rhetoric, writing his generation’s history in parallel to the model. Others adopted these techniques for personal political agendas, for example elevating personal gurus. The text conditioned subsequent Vaiṣṇava discourse, even outside the mainstream, for example the Dīnamaṇicandrodaya of otherwise unknown Manohara Dāsa, which warned against literal erotic emulation of Caitanya’s androgyny. Ironically the Caitanya caritāmṛta provided theological justification for tāntrika interpretations, eventually articulated as sahajiyā. Calling itself commentary, Ākiñcana Dāsa’s Vivarta vilāsa challenged the master narrative of the book’s loss and proof-texted the Caitanya caritāmṛta to proclaim sahajiyā legitimacy, turning Kṛṣṇadāsa’s rhetoric back on itself. The elevation of the Caitanya caritāmṛta to the final word of tradition can be seen in its gradual symbolic change to icon, installed on the altar beside the images of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and Caitanya.Less
Subsequent authors perpetuated the Gauḍīya tradition mimicking the Caitanya caritāmṛta. Narahari Cakravartī’s Bhaktiratnākara most successfully emulated its rhetoric, writing his generation’s history in parallel to the model. Others adopted these techniques for personal political agendas, for example elevating personal gurus. The text conditioned subsequent Vaiṣṇava discourse, even outside the mainstream, for example the Dīnamaṇicandrodaya of otherwise unknown Manohara Dāsa, which warned against literal erotic emulation of Caitanya’s androgyny. Ironically the Caitanya caritāmṛta provided theological justification for tāntrika interpretations, eventually articulated as sahajiyā. Calling itself commentary, Ākiñcana Dāsa’s Vivarta vilāsa challenged the master narrative of the book’s loss and proof-texted the Caitanya caritāmṛta to proclaim sahajiyā legitimacy, turning Kṛṣṇadāsa’s rhetoric back on itself. The elevation of the Caitanya caritāmṛta to the final word of tradition can be seen in its gradual symbolic change to icon, installed on the altar beside the images of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and Caitanya.
