Leading scholars have combined forces to
produce this volume on the philosophy and legal views of Moses Maimonides
(1138–1204) and the historical context in which he worked. The philosophical
section examines Maimonides’ ethical doctrine; his paradoxical life-style; his Guide of the Perplexed; his attitude to
mysticism; his use of language; and his theory of astronomy. The legal section
deals with law and medicine, the relation of Maimonides’ legal thought to the
Talmud; his doctrine of a just war; and his theory of redemption and
Messianism. The history section examines Maimonides’ accession to the position
of head of the Jewish community in its historical context, at the time of the
rise of the ‘Ayyubid dynasty under Saladin.