Re: Hasdai Crescas

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Posted by Ethel Jean Saltz on January 11, 19101 at 07:11:37:

In Reply to: Re: Hasdai Crescas posted by Ethel Jean Saltz on December 22, 19100 at 10:25:57:

I would like to add three more arguments for an English translation of OR ADONAI (Crescas's critique of Aristotle) and additionally cite another wish, the English translation of Spinoza's critique of Descartes.

1. Imagine an Introductory-type course in Philosophy pitting one philosopher against another immediately. I think the intellect of the student would be educated in a very clever and amusing manner. Then you become embroiled in your own philosophical self. And we are back to the good old Greek/Talmudic argument styles. Wish my first (and only course) in philosophy had started out that way. Can you imagine our nation being led by leaders schooled in philosophy?

2. I think of the Old Testament/TaNaK as the original source I can read for myself and even with having to use a dictionary, translate from the original language to make sure the English is to my way of interpretation. Then there comes two fences around the Old Testament/TaNaK; the Talmud and you are Jewish, the New Testament and then you are Christian. So if Jews and Christians can focus in on only the Old Testament/TaNaK, they can study spirituality together. In fact, I see on Internet a new movement in Chrisitianity that is beginning to do exactly this, within Christianity. Instead of interpreting every phrase of the the Old Testament/TaNaK as a symbol of the New Testament, they, with Old Testament in hand within the congregation, follow the Minister who exhorts them to empower themselves with the words of God to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, et al.

3. People who are dedicated to the writings of a certain philosopher tend to let the earlier writings of the philosopher influence their interpretations of the later writings. The philosophers, themselves, are only human and constantly maturing. So that each document must stand on its own merits. For instance, in the discussion of Spinoza's ETHICS, those in the group who have read his other writings use those writings as arguments for the meanings of ETHICS. However, ETHICS might be simply a replacement for earlier writings. Another way of saying this is that the earlier writings might simply be explorations and the ETHICS might be the final summary of the mature mind. I cite the fact that politicians can change their minds after they mature and be against the things they believed in earlier (especially when they agree with me finally:).

That's the power of reading source documents all by ourselves without reference to other documents unless the writer does the referencing. Also, it's been Christian educators, dedicated in their Christian spirituality, who have made me more Jewish than when I was born. I am forever grateful to the American Bible Society which has gifted me with my additional heritage, the deuterocanonical/apocrypha via the GOOD NEWS BIBLE.

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