Gersonides [addendum]

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The intensive and fruitful research conducted on Gersonides since the 1960s has increasingly led to a recognition of his exceptional stature as a philosopher-scientist. It is also appreciated now that the multifarious aspects of Gersonides' thought constitute a coherent unity that must be studied as such. Contrary to Maimonides, whom he venerated, Gersonides believed in the human power to discover God's blueprint for creation, namely through empirical study of nature and through the interpretation of God's revelation (the Scriptures). This belief triggered his various scientific activities, most of which have been the subject of recent research.

Following notably Charles Touati's French monograph on Gersonides' philosophy, many detailed studies have been devoted to specific issues. Several parts of the Wars of the Lord have been translated into English and French, followed by a full English translation by Seymour Feldman. The great significance and originality of the largely unpublished astronomical part of Gersonides' Wars (often referred to as his Astronomy) have been brought to light, notably by Bernard R. Goldstein. In addition, J. L. Mancha has shown that the Latin translation of the Astronomy had been realized with the collaboration of Gersonides himself at the papal court in Avignon, testifying to the importance ascribed to it there. (For these and all other bibliographical references see Kellner's "Bibliographia gersonideana.")

Scholars realize now that Gersonides' numerous super-commentaries on Averroes's commentaries on Aristotle's treatises are crucial for an adequate understanding of Gersonides' thought and its evolution. Recent scholarship (R. Glasner) established that Gersonides was the first to teach Averroes's commentaries—in their Hebrew versions—in the Jewish community of southern France. Recent editions of Gersonides' commentary of the Pentateuch unearthed new material, revealing that Gersonides was more interested in Jewish law than had previously been thought. More generally, the great importance of the biblical commentaries for the understanding of Gersonides' thought has become better appreciated.

Scholars—notably Ruth Glasner—point to the originality of Gersonides' thinking about natural philosophy and its central place in his work. The originality of Gersonides' work in logic has also been highlighted, notably by Charles Manekin. Other studies, especially by Sara Klein-Braslavy, emphasize the importance of Gersonides' scientific methodology. Gersonides depended essentially on literature available in Hebrew; the question why his work bears next to no trace of a familiarity with Latin philosophy—even though Gersonides is known to have had contacts with Christians—has been much, albeit inconclusively, discussed in recent research.

Aristotle; Averroes; Maimonides; Revelation; Scientific Method.

A comprehensive bibliography of works by and on Gersonides is given in Menachem M. Kellner's "Bibliographia gersonideana" published in two parts: (1) Studies on Gersonides—A Fourteenth-Century Jewish Philosopher-Scientist, edited by Gad Freudenthal, pp. 367–414 (Leiden, Netherlands: Brill, 1992); and (2) Aleph: Historical Studies in Science and Judaism 3 (2003): 345–374.

ben Gershom, Levi (Gersonides). The Wars of the Lord. Translated with introduction and notes by Seymour Feldman. 3 vols. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publications Society, 1984, 1987, 1999. A full translation of the Wars (except the Astronomy).

Goldstein, Bernard R. The Astronomy of Levi ben Gerson (1288–1344): A Critical Edition of Chapters 1–20 with Translation and Commentary. Berlin: Springer, 1985. A partial translation of the Astronomy.

Manekin, Charles. The Logic of Gersonides: A Translation of the Sefer ha-Heqqesh ha-Yashar. Dordrecht, Holland: Kluwer, 1992. A full translation of the treatise on logic.

Freudenthal, Gad. "Levi ben Gershom (Gersonides), 1288–1344." In The Routledge History of Islamic Philosophy. Edited by S. H. Nasr and O. Leaman, pp. 739–754. London and New York: Routledge, 1996. Provides a concise overview.

Touati, Charles. La pensée philosophique et théologique de Gersonide. Paris: Éditions de Minuit, 1973.

Dahan, Gilbert, ed. Gersonide en son temps. Science et philosophie médiévales. Louvain-Paris: E. Peeters, 1991.

Freudenthal, Gad, ed. Studies on Gersonides—A Fourteenth-Century Jewish Philosopher-Scientist. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill, 1992.

Sirat, Colette, Sara Klein-Braslavy, and Olga Weijers, eds., Les méthodes de travail de Gersonide et le maniement du savoir chez les scolastiques. Paris: Vrin, 2003.

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