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Medieval Philosophy


The Perplexing Nature of the Guide for the Perplexed


Mark Daniels introduces the most famous work of Moses Maimonides and asks – was he a philosopher, a heretic or a mystic?


Moses Maimonides (Moses the son of Maimon – or the RaMBaM – Rabbi Moses ben Maimon in
Hebrew) was the leading Jewish medieval philosopher. In addition to his work in philosophy, he was one
of the foremost medieval halakhists (experts in Jewish Law), and a leading commentator on the Talmud.
An important doctor, he wrote some ten books on medicine; his work on poisons and their antidotes was
taught in the medical school at Oxford for several centuries after his death, and he was a physician
in Saladin’s court. He also wrote on astronomy; his work on the intercalation of the calendar was
written in his early 20’s.
 

The Problem of Aristotle
 

Aristotle’s thinking caused a major revolution in the medieval world when the philosophers of
the day belatedly realised that rather than just agreeing with his teacher, Plato, he was frequently
saying something very different.


…