Moses Maimonides

Moses Maimonides (1135-1204) is recognized both as a leading figure in Jewish thought and as one of the most radical philosophers of the Islamic world. Most accounts of his thought are unduly obsessed with his Jewish background and fail to do justice to the part he played in the recreation of an important and intriguing set of arguments which have a relevance far beyond the historical context within which he worked. This book provides a clear and concise general introduction to his philosophy, exploring his arguments, especially those to be found in his Guide of the Perplexed, and examining their implications and validity. Oliver Leaman shows that Maimonides' arguments - on the immortality of the soul, the basis of morality, the creation of the world, the notion of prophecy, the concept of God - are related to his central account of the meaning of religious language, and ultimately to his theory of meaning itself. The discussion gives an insight into the rich cultural atmosphere of the Islamic world during Maimonides' time, and shows him to be the outstanding personality in the development of Islamic civilization. The study reveals the significance of Maimonides to contemporary philosophical and theological problems, and will be of great interest to philosophers, theologians, Islamicists, and medievalists.