Pursuit of happiness in medieval Jewish and Islamic thought
Subtitle: studies dedicated to Steven Harvey
By: edited by Yehuda Halper
Series: Philosophy in the Abrahamic traditions of the Middle Ages -- 1; Philosophy in the Abrahamic traditions of the Middle Ages -- v.1.
Publisher: Brepols
Published: 2021
Place of publication: Turnhout, Belgium
Language: eng
Number of pages: 431
ISBN-13: 9782503591438
Copyright date: 2021
Subjects: Happiness; Jewish philosophy; History; Islamic philosophy; Bonheur; Philosophie juive; Histoire; Philosophie islamique
Description: The articles in this volume explore the teachings on happiness by a range of thinkers from antiquity through Spinoza, most of whom held human happiness to comprise intellectual knowledge of that which is Good in itself, namely God. These thinkers were from Greek pagan, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian backgrounds and wrote their works in Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, and Latin. Still, they shared similar philosophical views of what constitutes the Highest Good, and of the intellectual activities to be undertaken in pursuit of that Good. Yet, they differed, often greatly, in the role they assigned to deeds and practical activities in the pursuit of this happiness. These differences were, at times, not only along religious lines, but also along political and ethical lines. Other differences treated the relationship between the body and intellectual happiness and the various ways in which bodily health and well-being can contribute to intellectual health and true happiness.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 407-415) and index.