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Chapter 9 - The Prophetic Method in the Guide

from Part IV - The Created

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 June 2021

Daniel Frank
Affiliation:
Purdue University, Indiana
Aaron Segal
Affiliation:
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
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Summary

Maimonides’ definition of prophecy is a sophisticated hybrid engineered from the materials of Jewish theology and medieval Arabic philosophy. This essay opens with a brief exploration of the theology, epistemology and cognitive psychology shaping PM, which, together, informs Maimonides’ view that prophecy is a cognitive feat that will naturally be experienced by certain people as a dream or vision. The remainder of the essay seeks to determine the precise point in which Maimonides’ prophet formed the propositional attitude of central importance to epistemologists, namely belief. In so doing, it shall become apparent that in no way can the epistemology of prophecy be reduced to the epistemology of divine testimony, which demonstrates that prophecy, at least in Maimonides’ hands, is fallible and that the distinction between Mosaic and non-Mosaic prophecy is problematic.

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Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed
A Critical Guide
, pp. 161 - 183
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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