Natural La in Judaism [Paperback]

This 1998 book presents a theory of natural law, significant for the study of Judaism, philosophy and comparative ethics.Most people have assumed that since Judaism seems to consist of a specific historical revelation and a specific tradition, that an idea like natural law is foreign to it. This book shows that natural law is part of Judaism, and that it is consistent with its specific revelation and tradition.Most people have assumed that since Judaism seems to consist of a specific historical revelation and a specific tradition, that an idea like natural law is foreign to it. This book shows that natural law is part of Judaism, and that it is consistent with its specific revelation and tradition.Natural law is the idea that our basic moral principles apply to every human being, and are accessible to human reason. Most people have assumed that since Judaism seems to consist of a specific historical revelation and a specific tradition, that an idea such as natural law is foreign to it. This book shows that natural law is part of Judaism, and that it is consistent with its specific revelation and tradition. In this book, not only is the history of an idea shown with great accuracy, but the idea of natural law is presented as a way of conveying some of Judaism's meaning for life today.Preface; 1. The challenge of modern secularity; 2. Scriptural foundations; 3. Jewish ethics and natural law; 4. Maimonides' teleology of the law; 5. Natural law and created nature; 6. Noahide law and human personhood; 7. Conclusion; Bibliography; Index. David Novak's own new book, Natural Lae and Judaism...is a large contribution to the dialogue at the `moral border' between Judaism and Christianity. Washington Post Book World ...elegant... The Weekly Standard It will set the tone for future discussion about natural law in Judaism, as well as about the nature Jewish ethics. Appropriate for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses. Religious Studies Review While it is clelS(