Time Matters

T.M. Rudavsky

Description

Despite the importance of time and cosmology to Western thought, surprisingly little attention has been paid to these issues in histories of Jewish philosophy. Focusing on how medieval philosophers constructed a philosophical theology that was sensitive to religious constraints and yet also incorporated compelling elements of science and philosophy, T. M. Rudavsky traces the development of the concepts of time, cosmology, and creation in the writings of Ibn Gabirol, Maimonides, Gersonides, Crescas, Spinoza, and others.
List of Illustrations

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. TIME AND COSMOLOGY IN ATHENS AND JERUSALEM
Introduction
Biblical Conceptions of Time
Rabbinical Models of Time and Creation
Time, Order, and Creation in the Greek Philosophical Tradition
Ancient Greek Astronomy and Cosmology
Plotinus and the Neoplatonist Tradition
Conclusion

2. TIME, CREATION, AND COSMOLOGY
Introduction
Astronomy and Cosmology: The True Perplexity Revealed
Creation Models in Maimonides
Creation, Time, and the Instant in Gersonides
Creation, Time and Duration in Crescas
The Subjectivity of Time according to Albo
Scripture, Philosophy, and the First Instant of Creation
Conclusion

3. TIME, MOTION, AND THE INSTANT: JEWISH PHILOSOPHERS CONFRONT ZENO
Introduction
Traversing the Infinite: Zeno, Aristotle, and John Philoponus
Jewish Neoplatonic Considerations of Infinite Divisibility
Meeting the Kalam Challenge: Kalam Atomism Described
Rejection of Kalam Atomism: Saadia Gaon, Halevi, Ibn Daud, and Maimonides
Gersonides on the Continuum
Crescas on Infinity, Space, and the Vacuum
Conclusion

4. TEMPORALITY, HUMAN FREEDOM, AND DIVINE OMNISCIENCE
Introduction
The Problem Defined: Aristotle's Sea-Flight Paradox
Astrological Determinism and Human Freedom
Compatibilism in Jewish Kalam: Saadia Gaon and Halevi
Maimoides' Compatibilism
Incompatibilist Response of Ibn Daud
Omniscience and Human Freedom in Gersonides
Indeterminism and Prophecy
The Challenge of Determinism: Crescas on Divine Knowledge and Possibility
Conclusion

5. PRELUDE TO MODERNITY
Introduction
Newton and His Philosophical Precursors
Spinoza's Metaphysical Monism
Time, Duration, and Creation: Spinoza and Descartes Compared
Substance, Infinity, and Divisibility in Spinoza
The Role layed by Imagination
Spinoza on Divine Omniscience and Human Freedom
Conclusion

CONCLUSION: ETERNITY A PARTE POST, INDIVIDUATION AND, IMMORTALITY

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Sujets

• Medieval philosophy
• Judaism
• History of religions

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791493250
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 5 Mo

Extrait

Time Matters

SUNY Series in Jewish Philosoph y Kenneth Seeskin, editor

Time Matters

Time, Creation, and Cosmology in Medieval Jewish Philosophy

T. M. Rudavsky

State University of Nezv York Press

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2000 State University of New York

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Printed in the United States of America

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For information, address State University of New York Press State University Press, Albany, New York 12246

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in־Publication Data

Rudavsky, Tamar, 1951- Time matters : time, creation, and cosmology in medieval Jewish philosophy / T. M. Rudavsky. p. cm. — (SUNYseries in Jewish philosophy) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0 - 7 9 1 4 - 4 4 5 3 - 8 (he.: alk. paper) — ISBN 0 - 7 9 1 4 - 4 4 5 4 - 6 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Philosophy, Jewish. 2. Philosophy, Medieval. 3. Time. 4. Creation—History of doctrines. 5. Jewish cosmology. I. Title. II. Series. B755 .R83 2000 113924'089.׳—dc21 99-088797

1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Cover photo: "The Sundial". This sundial is found atop the Immigrant Shelter buildingOrchim) (Hachnasat . The building was founded by S. Levi in 5668 in Jerusalem and is still maintained by the author's family. Photo by Nathaniel Rudavsky-Brody.

C O N T E N T S

LI ST OF ILLUSTRATIONS/VU ACKNOWLEDGMENTS/ix

I N T R O D U C T I O N /x i

CHAPTER O N E T I M E A N D C O S M O L O G Y I N A T H E N S A N D J E R U S A L E M / 1 Introduction/ 1 Biblical Conceptions of Ti me / 1 Rabbinical Models of Time and Creation/4 Time, Order, and Creation in the Greek Philosophical Tradition/10 Ancient Greek Astronomy and Cosmology/15 Plotinus and the Neoplatonist Tradition/17 Conclusion/20

CHAPTER TWO T I M E , C R E A T I O N , A N D C O S M O L O G Y / 2 3 Introduction/23 Astronomy and Cosmology: The True Perplexity Revealed/24 Creation Models in Maimonides/30 Creation, Time, and the Instant in Gersonides/38 Creation, Time, and Duration in Crescas/46 The Subjectivity of Time according to Albo/50 Scripture, Philosophy, and the First Instant of Creation/51 Conclusion/57

CHAPTER THREE T I M E , M O T I O N , A N D T H E I N S T A N T : J E W I S H P H I L O S O P H E R S C O N F R O N T Z E N O / 5 9 Introduction/59 Traversing the Infinite: Zeno, Aristotle, and J ohn Philoponus/60 Jewish Neoplatonic Considerations of Infinite Divisibility/65 Meeting the Kalam Challenge: Kalam Atomism Described/72 Rejection of Kalam Atomism: Saadia Gaon, Halevi, Ibn Daud, and Maimonides/77

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Contents

Gersonides on the Continuum/8 3 Crescas on Infinity, Space, and the Vacuum/88 Conclusion/93

CHAPTER FOUR T E M P O R A L I T Y , H U M A N F R E E D O M , A N D D I V I N E O M N I S C I E N C E / 9 5 Introduction/95 The Problem Defined: Aristotle's Sea-Fight Paradox/96 Astrological Determinism and Human Freedom/102 Compatibilism in Jewish Kalam: Saadia Gaon and Halevi/112 Maimonides' Compatibilism/115 Incompatibilist Response of Ibn Daud/124 Omniscience and Human Freedom in Gersonides/126 Indeterminism and Prophecy/134 The Challenge of Determinism: Crescas on Divine Knowledge and Possibility/140 Conclusion/146

CHAPTER FIVE P R E L U D E T O M O D E R N I T Y / 1 4 9 Introduction/149 Newton and His Philosophical Precursors/149 Spinoza's Metaphysical Monism/154 Time, Duration, and Creation: Spinoza and Descartes Compared/155 Substance, Infinity, and Divisibility in Spinoza/161 The Role Played by Imagination/166 Spinoza on Divine Omniscience and Human Freedom/168 Conclusion/172

CONCLUSION ETERNIT Y APOST, PARTE AND,D IV ID U A TIO N  IN I M M O R T A L I T Y / 1 7 5

N O T E S / 1 8 9 B I B L I O G R A P H Y / 2 4 9 I N D E X / 2 7 7

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I LLUSTRATI ON S

2.1 Interval of the Instant/45 3.1 Zeno's Paradoxes of Motion/60 3.2 Maimonides' Millstone/75 3.3 Ibn Daud's Argument for the Impossibility of the Infinite/82 3.4 Gersonides' Conception of Zeno's Paradoxes/86 5.1 Spinoza's Understanding of Zeno/163 5.2 Spinoza's Refutation of Zeno/164

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