Maimonides

This is a thorough and accessible introduction to Maimonides, arguably one of the most important Jewish philosophers of all time. This work incorporates material from Maimonides’ philosophical, legal, and medical works, providing a synoptic picture of Maimonides’ philosophical range. Maimonides was, and remains, one of the most influential and important Jewish legalists, who devoted himself to a reconceptualization of the entirety of Jewish law. It offers both an intellectual biography and an exploration of the most important philosophical works in Maimonides’ corpus. It persuasively argues that Maimonides did see himself as engaged in philosophical dialogue. Maimonides’ philosophy is presented in a way that is accessible to readers with little background in either Jewish or medieval philosophy. Secondary readings are provided at the end of each chapter, as well as a bibliography of recent scholarly articles on some of the more pressing philosophical topics covered in the book.