Philo: Foundations of Religious Philosophy in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Volume 1: Structure and Growth of Philosophical Systems from Plato to Spinoza

by Harry Austryn Wolfson

Overview

In this authoritative study Professor Wolfson’s purpose is to trace the processes of reasoning by which Philo Judaeus of Alexandria arrived at his philosophic principles. These principles later became the common foundations of Jewish, Christian, and Moslem philosophy, and in the 17th century were made the target of attack by Spinoza. This comprehensive work will be indispensable to all serious students of Philo’s thought.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780674021143
Publisher:	Harvard University Press
Publication date:	01/01/1962
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	480
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.75(h) x 1.25(d)

About the Author

Harry Austryn Wolfson was Nathan Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy, Emeritus, Harvard University.

Table of Contents

• 1. Hellenistic Judaism and Philo
  • Hellenistic Jewish Attitude toward Greek Religion and Philosophy
  • Phio on Polytheism, Mythology, and Mysteries
  • Discordance, Conformity, Apostasy
  
  
  
  
• 2. Handmaid of Scripture
  • Behind the Allegorical Method
  • The Allegorical Method
  • Origin of Scripture and Origin of Philosophy
  • Faith and Reason
  • Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation
  
  
  
  
• 3. Scriptural Presuppositions
• 4. God, the World of Ideas, and the Logos
  • God and the Ideas
  • Ideas
  • Powers
  • The Intelligible World and the Logos
  • Relations between God, the Logos, and the Ideas
  • Logos and Wisdom
  • The Instrumentality of the Logos, Powers, and Wisdom
  • The Fiction of Intermediaries
  • Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation
  
  
  
  
• 5. Creation and the Structure of the World
  • Criticism of Aristotle and the Stoics
  • Plato’s Timaeus and the Book of Genesis
  • Place, Time, Eternity
  • Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation
  
  
  
  
• 6. The Immanent Logos, Laws of Nature, Miracles
  • Immanent Logos
  • Laws of Nature
  • Miracles
  • Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation
  
  
  
  
• 7. Souls, Angels, Immortality
  • Living Beings
  • Unbodied Souls or Angels
  • Animals and the Irrational Soul of Man
  • The Rational Soul of Man
  • Immortality of the Soul
  • Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation
  
  
  
  
• 8. Free Will
  • Miracles and Freedom
  • The Choice of Good and Evil
  • Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation