The Place of the Doctrine of Providence According to Maimonides
2004; Philosophy Education Society Inc.; Volume: 57; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
2154-1302
AutoresLéo Strauss, Gabriel Bartlett, Svetozar Minkov,
Tópico(s)Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies
Resumotranslated by Gabriel Bartlett and Svetozar Minkov [93] * IN THE GUIDE OF THE PERPLEXED, Maimonides does not treat the doctrine of divine omniscience and divine providence in a strictly theological context. He arrives at subject for the first time in the third section of the Guide, he has concluded the thematic treatment of at least the following themes: (1) the names and attributes of God (I 1-70); (2) the proof of the existence, unity, and incorporeality of God (I 71-II 1); (3) the separate intelligences and the order of the world (II 2-12); (4) the creation of the world (II 13 (1)-31); and (5) prophecy (II 32-48). Directly following the discussion of prophecy is the thematic interpretation of ma'aseh merkabah *--Ezekiel 1 and 10--(III 1-7). This interpretation concludes with the remark that while all of the preceding up to chapter, that is, I 1-III 7, is indispensable for the understanding of ma'aseh merkabah, the discussion after chapter, that is, from III 8 to the end, will in no way--neither in a detailed manner nor in the form of hints--involve this subject, namely ma'aseh merkabah. Accordingly, Maimonides immediately turns to other subjects. (2) Now, for Maimonides ma'aseh merkabah is identical with metaphysics (theology as a philosophic discipline). (3) The closing remark at the end of Guide III 7 means, then, that while all preceding discussions (I 1-III 7) are of a metaphysical character, the following discussions will not belong to metaphysics. The subjects of the nonmetaphysical section of the Guide are: (1) divine providence (and the questions which belong most closely together with the question of providence, those concerning the origin and kinds of evil as well as divine omniscience) (III 8-24); and (2) the purpose of the Torah in general and of its arrangements in particular (III 25-50). Whatever else may be the case with regard to the plan of the Guide, it is certain that Maimonides, through precisely plan, excludes the question of divine omniscience and of divine providence from the subject matter of metaphysics. (4) (* This conclusion requires four additions in order to be precise. (1) The first section of the Guide (I 1-III 7), which we have provisionally characterized as metaphysical, treats not only themes of metaphysics as theologia naturalis but also such themes as one would have to--in the sense of Maimonides or at any rate [95] in the sense of his exoteric teaching--attribute to theologia revelata (especially the doctrine of the creation of the world). The division of the subjects of the Guide into metaphysical and nonmetaphysical therefore in no way follows from the distinction between natural and revealed theology. (5) The exclusion of the doctrine of providence from the realm of metaphysics, then, is not identical with an attribution of doctrine to a theologia revelata. (2) Physics finds its proper place within the first section of the Guide. The discussion of physics--through the thematic interpretation of ma'aseh bereshit--is concluded in a similar manner, (6) just as the comprehensive metaphysical discussion is later concluded through the thematic interpretation of ma'aseh merkabah. Therefore, the topics of the second, nonmetaphysical section of the Guide belong just as little to physics as they do to metaphysics. Physics and metaphysics form together with mathematics the whole of theoretical philosophy. (7) Since the subjects of the nonmetaphysical section of the Guide are clearly not of a mathematical character, Maimonides, insofar as he treats these subjects for the first time the formal conclusion of both physics and metaphysics, expresses the view that the same subjects should be altogether excluded from the realm of theoretical philosophy. (3) Maimonides already treats providence in the theoretical section of the Guide (most importantly in II 10). (8) The discussion that appears in context admittedly concerns general providence alone, that is, the intelligent and artful direction of the whole world. …
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