Aquinas and Maimonides on the Possibility of the Knowledge of God (eBook)

An Examination of The Quaestio de attributis

Mercedes Rubio (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2006 | 2006
VI, 326 Seiten
Springer Netherland (Verlag)
978-1-4020-4747-3 (ISBN)

Infos

This in-depth study of Thomas Aquinas' Quaestio de Attributis binds together the findings of previous research on the unique history of this text by reconstructing the historical circumstances surrounding its composition, shows that the Quaestio contains Aquinas' final answer to the dispute on the divine attributes, and thoroughly examines his interpretation of Maimonides' position on the issue of the knowledge of God by analysing this and other texts related to it chronologically and doctrinally.

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Purpose Moses Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed is pervaded by a p- manent tension regarding the possibility and extent of the knowledge of God by a created intellect, which lies at the roots of the 13th century controversy over Maimonides' writings. While Maimonides asserts that "e;its purpose is to give indications to a religious man for whom the validity of our Law has become 1 established in his soul and has become actual in his belief,"e; one of its early opponents, Meshullam ben Solomon, writes referring to him: "e;Those who deny the proper attributes of God speak out 2 until faith has been drained out of man."e; He will instead claim to be "e;determined to know the God of my fathers and my 3 thoughts are continuously of Him"e;. Meshullam understands that despite Maimonides' interest in preserving his readers' faith, he leads them to skepticism by denying the possibility of any positive knowledge of the essence of God.

Inhalt

Introduction. Purpose. The Texts. Acknowledgements.
1. The Dispute on the Divine Attributes; 1.1 Chronology of In I Sent., d. 2, q. 1, a. 3; 1.2. The Reasons for the Dispute; 1.2.a. Aquinas’ In I Sent., d. 2, q. 1; 1.2.b. Tarantasia’s Commentary and Aquinas’ Responsio de 108 articulis; 1.3. Aquinas’ Revision of In I Sent., d. 2, q. 1; 1.3.a. Aquinas’ In I Sent., d. 2, q. 1, a. 3 (Quaestio de attributis); 1.3.b. The Roman Commentary on the Sentences; 1.4 Maimonides’ Place in the Dispute.
2. Aquinas and Maimonides on the Divine Names; 2.1 Maimonides’ Position According to the Commentary on the Sentences and De Potentia; 2.1.a 'Being' as the Proper Name of God; 2.1.b The Multiplicity of the Divine Names; 2.2 Maimonides’ Position According to the Quaestio de attributis; 2.2.a The Multiplicity of the Divine Names; 2.2.b 'Being' as the Proper Name of God; 2.3 Maimonides’ Position According to S. Theologiae I, q. 13.
3. The Quaestio de Attributis and Zechariah 14, 9; 3.1. The Apprehension of the Divine Essence; 3.1.a Zechariah 14, 9 in the Guide of the Perplexed; 3.1.b Zechariah 14, 9 in the Works of Aquinas; 3.2 The Stages of the Intellect; 3.2.a Aquinas’ Distinction 'in via / in patria'; 3.2.b Maimonides’ Distinction 'In this world / In the next'.
4. The Quaestio de Attributis and the Limits of Natural Knowledge; 4.1 The Five Causes That Prevent the Instruction of the Multitude; 4.1.a The Five Causes in the Guide of the Perplexed; 4.1.b The Five Causes in Aquinas’ Works; 4.2 Maimonides and Aquinas on the Role of Faith and Prophecy.
5. The Knowledge of the Existence of God; 5.1 The Philosophical Questions That Have No Answer; 5.1.a Maimonides’ Guide II, 17; 5.1.b Guide II, 17 in the Works of Aquinas; 5.2 The Knowledge of the Existence of God; 5.2.a Maimonides’ Methodfor Demonstrating the Existence of God; 5.2.b Aquinas’ Method for Demonstrating the Existence of God; 5.2.c Maimonides’ Place in Aquinas’ Five Ways.
Conclusions.
Appendix I. Chronology of the Works of T. Aquinas Examined. Appendix II. Quaestio de attributis. Text with English Translation. Appendix III. Critical editions of Dux Neutrorum I, 33 (Guide I, 34). Dux Neutrorum II, 1 (Guide II, Intro.). Dux Neutrorum II, 2 (Guide II, 1). Dux neutrorum II, 17 (Guide II, 18).
Bibliography

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 18.7.2006
• Reihe/Serie: Amsterdam Studies in Jewish Philosophy
• Reihe/Serie: Amsterdam Studies in Jewish Philosophy
• Zusatzinfo: VI, 326 p.
• Verlagsort: Dordrecht
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Erkenntnistheorie / Wissenschaftstheorie
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Geschichte der Philosophie
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Metaphysik / Ontologie
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Philosophie des Mittelalters
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie ► Judentum
• Schlagworte: Divine Attributes • Divine Names • Knowledge • Knowledge of God • Moses Maimonides • reason • Thomas Aquinas
• ISBN-10: 1-4020-4747-9 / 1402047479
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4020-4747-3 / 9781402047473