The Guide of the Perplexed [Abridged] [Paperback]

Moses Maimonides (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1995

This superb abridgement and annotated translation of Maimonides' monumental work includes discussions of divine language, the scope and limits of human knowledge, cosmological doctrines concerning the creation or eternity of the world, prophecy and providence, the nature and purpose of divine law, and moral and political philosophy.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Latin

About the Author

Moses Maimonides

Product Details

• Paperback: 149 pages
• Publisher: Hackett Pub Co; Abridged edition (October 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0872203247
• ISBN-13: 978-0872203242
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,639 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Language Nonfiction > Arabic
  • #75 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Way In To A Great Book, November 23, 2003

By 

Timothy Dougal (Madison, Wi United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Guide of the Perplexed (Hardcover)

Since Amazon is lumping reviews of all 'Guide' translations together, this one is of the Guttman/Rabin translation/abridgement published by Hackett. To me, it might be called a godsend, since I first tried a headlong assault on an unabridged version, which quickly wore me down with its endless examples of words with multple senses and anthropomorphic references to God. Where's the beef? I wondered. This edition gets the novice reader straight to the meaty matters Maimonides considers, such as whether the universe was created or not, what the nature of prophecy is, what can be understood or even said about God, how the Bible can be reconciled to philosophy, and how traditional practices are to be viewed. His answers won't satisfy fundamentalists, either Jewish or Christian, but his discussion is always challenging, and mostly clear-minded (he lost me with many of his thoughts on the spheres, since in this area he was manifestly out of his depth). This abridgement is about 1/4 of the original, but the arrangement has a good, logical flow. The 1940's-early 50's translation is very readable, though the scriptural quotes leave something to be desired in the clear, modern English department. One additional factor that jumps out at me from the text is the sheer force of Maimonides personality. (I have the feeling he wouldn't approve of me studying him, but his work may yet have a salutary effect on my life, reluctant as he would have been to teach someone like me!) Be prepared to meet a great man.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A clear guide to contemporary difficult questions, March 8, 2007

By 

Michael Pen (Boston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Guide of the Perplexed (Paperback)

I found this book clear and directly related to questions that perplexed me. Often Maimonides' answers are more clear and direct than anything I ever heared. I was most impressed by his explanation for the original sin and for Adam expulsion from paradise. Of course, it had nothing to do with sex. The sin was in that God gave the mind to Adam to think for himself. But thinking is too hard. Adam refused to think. Instead he ate from the tree of knowledge, that is he acquired "shortcuts," "rules of thumb," ready made rules accumulated in culture throughout millenia. These rules are sound and safe, but it is not the ultimate demand of God. In contemporary science language, Adam refused to think by using his cortex (contemporary part of the brain), instead, he learned to use primitive emotions involving amigdala (ancient part of the brain).

17 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful introduction to Jewish Philosophy, November 21, 2001

By 

E. Rodin MD (Sandy, UT United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Guide of the Perplexed (Paperback)

This abridged version of Maimonedes thoughts covers about one quarter of the complete book with the same title. The selection by Guttmann concentrates on Maimonedes' attempt to bring rational Aristotelian philosophy in accord with classical Jewish literature. Thus, allegorical reading of the anthropomorphic features of the biblical God is urged for a better understanding of the hidden meaning and to bring it in conformity with reason. Other main aspects covered deal with Prophecy, Providence and the way to a godly life. It is the latter which struck me as most interesting because the dedication of every moment of one's life to God (except when engaged in mundane duties which ought to be kept to a minimum) is precisely what one finds in the Bhagavad Gita except that the name of the Deity is Krishna rather than Yahweh. Apart from the name there is absolutely no other difference. If we are serious in believing that there is only one God in control of the universe this should not be disturbing because all nations are entitled to use their name for the Deity which encompasses all. Yet Maimonedes insists that only through contemplation of the Jewish law can perfection be achieved and one finds some rather derogatory remarks about those who think otherwise. Although Maimonedes emphasizes that the way to God is through humility, tolerance of the views of others will not be found. Furthermore, while intellect and reason are extolled Maimonedes has no difficulty accepting oral traditions of biblical stories, especially in regard to Abraham, Jacob and Moses, which have not only no corrollary in the Pentateuch but are at times at variance with it. Thus, the imaginative faculty and the rational faculty, as Maimonedes called them, and which distinguish the human being from animals, did not seem to find complete harmony in his view of the world and may leave some of us still perplexed.
The introductions to the book by Frank and by Guttmann are very helpful in setting Maimonedes' work in its appropriate context. For the student of comparative religion this is a useful introduction to medieval Jewish philosophy as it originated in a Muslim milieu and which is still held in high esteem by some modern theologians.