Guide for the Perplexed
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Jewish rationalist philosophy, medieval theology

The Guide for the Perplexed

Moses Maimonides1190
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Maimonides' philosophical masterpiece (c. 1190), written in Judeo-Arabic for readers educated in both Jewish scripture and Aristotelian philosophy. The work addresses the apparent contradictions between the Hebrew Bible and rational philosophy by reinterpreting biblical language as allegory. Its three parts treat: the interpretation of biblical terms applied to God; the proof of God's existence and the nature of divine attributes through negative theology; and metaphysics, cosmology, prophecy, and the reasons for the commandments. Deeply influential on Jewish, Christian, and Islamic thought, it shaped Aquinas, Spinoza, and the development of the Kabbalah, and remains a cornerstone of medieval philosophical theology.

Also known asDalalat al-Ha'irin · More Nevuchim · Moreh Nevukhim
This edition1881
EditionOriginal Judeo-Arabic Dalalat al-Ha'irin c. 1190; M. Friedlander English translation 1881–1885, Routledge
philosophical contemplationDivine emanationReligious philosophyHebrew mysticismMysticismAncient Greek philosophyArabic Neoplatonismmystical studyEsoteric PhilosophyPhilosophical Mysticism

Contents495 chapters

  1. 01Life of Maimonides
  2. 02Moreh Nebuchim Literature. Analysis of the Guide for the Perplexed
  3. 03Dedicatory Letter
  4. 04The Object of the Guide
  5. 05On Similes
  6. 06Directions for the Study of this Work
  7. 07Introductory Remarks
  8. 08III
  9. 09VII
  10. 10VIII
  11. 11XII
  12. 12XIII
  13. 13XIV
  14. 14XVI
  15. 15XVII
  16. 16XVIII
  17. 17XIX
  18. 18XXI
  19. 19XXII
  20. 20XXIII
  21. 21XXIV
  22. 22XXV
  23. 23XXVI
  24. 24XXVII
  25. 25XXVIII
  26. 26XXIX
  27. 27XXX
  28. 28XXXVII
  29. 29XXXVIII
  30. 30XXXIX
  31. 31XLI
  32. 32XLII
  33. 33XLIII
  34. 34XLIV
  35. 35XLV
  36. 36XLVIII
  37. 37XLIX
  38. 38LII
  39. 39LIII
  40. 40LIV
  41. 41LVI
  42. 42LVII
  43. 43LVIII
  44. 44LIX
  45. 45LXI
  46. 46LXII
  47. 47LXIII
  48. 48LXIV
  49. 49LXV
  50. 50LXVI
  51. 51LXVII
  52. 52LXVIII
  53. 53LXIX
  54. 54LXX
  55. 55LXXI
  56. 56LXXII
  57. 57LXXIII
  58. 58LXXIV
  59. 59LXXV
  60. 60LXXVI
  61. 61The Author's Introduction. The Twenty-Six Propositions employed by the Philosophers to prove the Existence of God
  62. 62III
  63. 63VII
  64. 64VIII
  65. 65XII
  66. 66XIII
  67. 67XIV
  68. 68XVI
  69. 69XVII
  70. 70XVIII
  71. 71XIX
  72. 72XXI
  73. 73XXII
  74. 74XXIII
  75. 75XXIV
  76. 76XXV
  77. 77XXVI
  78. 78XXVII
  79. 79XXVIII
  80. 80XXIX
  81. 81XXX
  82. 82XXXI
  83. 83XXXII
  84. 84XXXIII
  85. 85XXXIV
  86. 86XXXV
  87. 87XXXVI
  88. 88XXXVII
  89. 89XXXVIII
  90. 90XXXIX
  91. 91XLI
  92. 92XLII
  93. 93XLIII
  94. 94XLIV
  95. 95XLV
  96. 96XLVI
  97. 97XLVII
  98. 98XLVIII
  99. 99The Author's Introduction and Apology for Publishing, contrary to the Teaching of the Mishnah, an Interpretation of Ezek. i
  100. 100III
  101. 101VII
  102. 102VIII
  103. 103XII
  104. 104XIII
  105. 105XIV
  106. 106XVI
  107. 107XVII
  108. 108XVIII
  109. 109XIX
  110. 110XXI
  111. 111XXII
  112. 112XXIII
  113. 113XXIV
  114. 114XXV
  115. 115XXVI
  116. 116XXVII
  117. 117XXVIII
  118. 118XXIX
  119. 119XXX
  120. 120XXXI
  121. 121XXXII
  122. 122XXXIII
  123. 123XXXIV
  124. 124XXXV
  125. 125XXXVI
  126. 126XXXVII
  127. 127XXXVIII
  128. 128XXXIX
  129. 129XLI
  130. 130XLII
  131. 131Page 1
  132. 132EX LIBRIS
  133. 133Page 3
  134. 134Page 4
  135. 135THE GUIDE FOR THE
  136. 136Page 6
  137. 137PREFACE
  138. 138Page 8
  139. 139PREFACE TO VOLUME ONE OF THE FIRST EDITION
  140. 140Page 10
  141. 141CONTENTS
  142. 142CONTENTS
  143. 143PART III.
  144. 144CONTENTS
  145. 145Page 15
  146. 146Page 16
  147. 147Page 18
  148. 148Page 19
  149. 149Page 20
  150. 150Page 21
  151. 151Page 22
  152. 152Page 23
  153. 153Page 24
  154. 154Page 25
  155. 155Page 26
  156. 156Page 27
  157. 157Page 28
  158. 158Page 30
  159. 159Page 31
  160. 160Page 32
  161. 161Page 33
  162. 162Page 34
  163. 163Page 35
  164. 164Page 36
  165. 165Page 37
  166. 166Page 38
  167. 167Page 39
  168. 168Page 40
  169. 169ANALYSIS OF THE GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED
  170. 170Page 42
  171. 171Page 43
  172. 172Page 44
  173. 173PART I.
  174. 174Page 46
  175. 175Page 47
  176. 176Page 48
  177. 177Page 49
  178. 178Page 50
  179. 179PART II.
  180. 180Page 52
  181. 181Page 53
  182. 182Page 54
  183. 183Page 55
  184. 184Page 56
  185. 185PART III.
  186. 186Page 58
  187. 187Page 59
  188. 188Page 60
  189. 189Page 61
  190. 190Page 62
  191. 191Page 65
  192. 192Page 67
  193. 193Page 68
  194. 194Page 69
  195. 195Page 72
  196. 196Page 73
  197. 197Page 74
  198. 198Page 75
  199. 199Page 76
  200. 200CHAPTER I
  201. 201CHAPTER II
  202. 202Page 79
  203. 203CHAPTER IV
  204. 204CHAPTER V
  205. 205CHAPTER IX
  206. 206CHAPTER X
  207. 207CHAPTER XI
  208. 208CHAPTER XX
  209. 209Page 95
  210. 210Page 100
  211. 211Page 102
  212. 212CHAPTER XXXI
  213. 213Page 105
  214. 214Page 106
  215. 215CHAPTER XXXIII
  216. 216CHAPTER XXXIV
  217. 217Page 109
  218. 218Page 110
  219. 219Page 111
  220. 220Page 112
  221. 221CHAPTER XXXV
  222. 222CHAPTER XXXVI
  223. 223Page 115
  224. 224CHAPTER XL
  225. 225CHAPTER XLVI
  226. 226Page 124
  227. 227Page 125
  228. 228Page 126
  229. 229CHAPTER XLVII
  230. 230Page 130
  231. 231CHAPTER L
  232. 232CHAPTER LI
  233. 233Page 134
  234. 234Page 135
  235. 235Page 137
  236. 236Page 138
  237. 237Page 140
  238. 238Page 141
  239. 239CHAPTER LV
  240. 240Page 146
  241. 241Page 148
  242. 242Page 149
  243. 243Page 150
  244. 244CHAPTER LX
  245. 245Page 152
  246. 246Page 154
  247. 247Page 156
  248. 248Page 158
  249. 249Page 161
  250. 250Page 165
  251. 251Page 167
  252. 252Page 168
  253. 253Page 170
  254. 254Page 172
  255. 255Page 173
  256. 256Page 174
  257. 257Page 175
  258. 258Page 176
  259. 259Page 178
  260. 260Page 179
  261. 261Page 180
  262. 262Page 181
  263. 263Page 182
  264. 264Page 183
  265. 265SECOND PROPOSITION.
  266. 266Page 186
  267. 267Fourth Proposition.
  268. 268SIXTH PROPOSITION.
  269. 269Page 189
  270. 270Page 190
  271. 271EIGHTH PROPOSITION.
  272. 272Page 192
  273. 273Page 193
  274. 274Page 194
  275. 275ELEVENTH PROPOSITION.
  276. 276TWELFTH PROPOSITION.
  277. 277The Second Argument.
  278. 278The Fourth Argument.
  279. 279The Sixth Argument.
  280. 280The Seventh Argument.
  281. 281Page 203
  282. 282Page 204
  283. 283First Argument.
  284. 284Third Argument.
  285. 285Page 208
  286. 286Page 209
  287. 287Page 210
  288. 288PROPOSITION VII.
  289. 289Page 213
  290. 290PROPOSITION XXIII.
  291. 291CHAPTER I
  292. 292Page 216
  293. 293Page 217
  294. 294Page 218
  295. 295Page 219
  296. 296CHAPTER II
  297. 297Page 221
  298. 298Page 223
  299. 299Page 224
  300. 300CHAPTER V
  301. 301CHAPTER VI
  302. 302Page 227
  303. 303CHAPTER X
  304. 304Page 231
  305. 305CHAPTER XI
  306. 306Page 233
  307. 307Page 235
  308. 308Page 236
  309. 309Page 238
  310. 310Page 239
  311. 311Page 241
  312. 312CHAPTER XV
  313. 313Page 243
  314. 314Page 246
  315. 315CHAPTER XVIII
  316. 316Page 248
  317. 317Page 249
  318. 318Page 251
  319. 319Page 252
  320. 320Page 253
  321. 321Page 254
  322. 322CHAPTER XX
  323. 323Page 257
  324. 324Page 260
  325. 325CHAPTER XXIII
  326. 326Page 263
  327. 327Page 264
  328. 328Page 269
  329. 329Page 271
  330. 330Page 272
  331. 331Page 273
  332. 332Page 274
  333. 333Page 275
  334. 334Page 276
  335. 335Page 277
  336. 336Page 279
  337. 337Page 280
  338. 338Page 281
  339. 339Page 282
  340. 340Page 283
  341. 341Page 286
  342. 342Page 288
  343. 343Page 290
  344. 344Page 292
  345. 345Page 294
  346. 346Page 296
  347. 347CHAPTER XL
  348. 348Page 299
  349. 349Page 301
  350. 350Page 303
  351. 351Page 305
  352. 352Page 308
  353. 353Page 309
  354. 354Page 310
  355. 355Page 312
  356. 356Page 314
  357. 357Page 316
  358. 358Page 317
  359. 359Page 318
  360. 360CHAPTER I
  361. 361Page 321
  362. 362Page 322
  363. 363CHAPTER IV
  364. 364CHAPTER V
  365. 365CHAPTER VI
  366. 366Page 328
  367. 367Page 330
  368. 368Page 331
  369. 369CHAPTER IX
  370. 370CHAPTER X
  371. 371Page 334
  372. 372Page 336
  373. 373Page 337
  374. 374Page 338
  375. 375Page 339
  376. 376Page 341
  377. 377Page 342
  378. 378Page 343
  379. 379Page 344
  380. 380Page 346
  381. 381CHAPTER XV
  382. 382Page 349
  383. 383Page 351
  384. 384Page 352
  385. 385Page 353
  386. 386Page 354
  387. 387Page 355
  388. 388Page 356
  389. 389CHAPTER XX
  390. 390Page 361
  391. 391Page 362
  392. 392Page 363
  393. 393Page 365
  394. 394Page 366
  395. 395Page 368
  396. 396Page 369
  397. 397Page 370
  398. 398Page 371
  399. 399Page 373
  400. 400Page 374
  401. 401Page 376
  402. 402Page 377
  403. 403Page 379
  404. 404Page 382
  405. 405Page 384
  406. 406Page 385
  407. 407Page 386
  408. 408Page 387
  409. 409Page 391
  410. 410Page 392
  411. 411Page 393
  412. 412Page 394
  413. 413Page 398
  414. 414Page 401
  415. 415Page 402
  416. 416Page 403
  417. 417Page 404
  418. 418Page 405
  419. 419Page 408
  420. 420Page 409
  421. 421CHAPTER XL
  422. 422Page 411
  423. 423Page 413
  424. 424Page 414
  425. 425Page 415
  426. 426Page 416
  427. 427Page 417
  428. 428Page 419
  429. 429CHAPTER XLIII
  430. 430Page 421
  431. 431CHAPTER XLIV
  432. 432CHAPTER XLV
  433. 433Page 424
  434. 434Page 425
  435. 435Page 426
  436. 436CHAPTER XLVI
  437. 437Page 428
  438. 438Page 429
  439. 439Page 430
  440. 440Page 431
  441. 441Page 432
  442. 442Page 433
  443. 443CHAPTER XLVII
  444. 444Page 435
  445. 445Page 436
  446. 446Page 437
  447. 447CHAPTER XLVIII
  448. 448Page 439
  449. 449CHAPTER XLIX
  450. 450Page 441
  451. 451Page 442
  452. 452Page 443
  453. 453Page 444
  454. 454Page 445
  455. 455Page 446
  456. 456Page 447
  457. 457CHAPTER L
  458. 458Page 449
  459. 459Page 450
  460. 460Page 451
  461. 461CHAPTER LI
  462. 462Page 453
  463. 463Page 454
  464. 464Page 455
  465. 465Page 456
  466. 466Page 457
  467. 467Page 458
  468. 468CHAPTER LII
  469. 469CHAPTER LIII
  470. 470CHAPTER LIV
  471. 471Page 462
  472. 472Page 463
  473. 473Page 464
  474. 474Page 465
  475. 475Page 466
  476. 476INDEX
  477. 477Page 468
  478. 478Page 469
  479. 479Page 470
  480. 480Page 471
  481. 481Page 472
  482. 482Page 473
  483. 483Page 474
  484. 484Page 475
  485. 485Page 476
  486. 486Page 477
  487. 487INDEX OF QUOTATIONS FROM THE TALMUD.
  488. 488REFERENCES TO WORKS OF MAIMONIDES.
  489. 489INDEX
  490. 490INDEX
  491. 491Page 482
  492. 492Page 483
  493. 493Page 484
  494. 494Page 485
  495. 495Page 486

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