Table of Contents
Introduction 1
1 Athens, Jerusalem, and Jewish Moral Thought 10
The philosophical context of the project 10
The rationalism of Jewish thought 14
The relevance of Athens and Jerusalem 19
The rationalism of Jewish tradition 30
The significance of covenant 36
2 Freedom of the Will, Covenant, and Moral Capability 39
The essential role of free will 39
Aristotle on voluntariness and responsibility for character 42
Some considerations of moral epistemology 46
The scope of moral capacity: the contrast with Kant 50
Specific arguments for free will 54
The challenge of the hardening of Pharaoh's heart 67
An important contrast with Plato and Aristotle 69
3 Moral Psychology, Revelation, and Virtue 76
The basis and significance of gratitude 77
Some contrasts with Aristotle's moral psychology 80
The phronimos and the Law as measures of excellence 88
The decisive difference made by repentance 93
The role of rebuke and the importance of community 102
4 Jewish Moral Thought and Practical Wisdom 107
Aristotle's conception of practical wisdom as a basis for comparison 107
The 'reasons of the commandments' and moral epistemology 112
The nature of moral motivation 128
The historical dimension of perfection 131
5 Requirements, Ideals, and Moral Motivation 136
Torah and fundamental principles 136
Lifnim mishurat hadin and imitatio Dei 139
Divine command: the issues of voluntarism and heteronomy 145
6 Judaism and Natural Law 155
Stoic roots of natural law 155
Several background considerations 161
Aristotle and natural law 163
Natural law and theism 169
Two interpretations of the Thomistic conception of natural law 172
Scotus and natural law 182
7 'The Reasons of the Commandments' and Natural Law 186
Fundamental principles and codification 187
A case against interpreting Jewish moral thought as involving natural law 190
A case for finding natural law in Jewish moral thought 197
Different considerations against the natural law interpretation 206
Some differences between the Jewish and Christian contexts 210
Reason, commandments, and natural law 213
Bibliography 222
Index 227
