Comparing Maimonides And Baruch Spinoza

Though prophecy plays a large role in religions across the globe, its mechanisms and professors remain shrouded in mystery. Two philosophers who have attempted to explain the phenomenon are Moses Maimonides (1138-1204) and Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677). The most prominent source for Maimonides ideas about prophecy is his work The Guide of the Perplexed . Though not a true Aristotelian, Maimonides adheres to concepts derivative of classical philosophical ideas far more than his contemporary counterpart, Baruch Spinoza. Spinoza is one of the most important philosophers of modernity and is known for his radical philosophical notions that reject the idea of a supernatural God. Spinoza makes his opinion on prophecy clear in his work, the Theological-Political …show more content…
For example, whilst writing The Guide for the Perplexed, Maimonides saw his peers plagued by anxiety, unsure whether studying philosophy would be sacrilegious and feeling as if they had to choose between the two. Throughout The Guide for the Perplexed, Maimonides maintains the belief that they can do both. His views of prophecy reflect this. Though Maimonides makes strong philosophical statements regarding the mechanics of prophecy, Maimonides maintains an adherence to the fundamental values and beliefs of the Jewish faith and never disregards the authority of God. He never lets his philosophical statements step outside the bounds of his religion. This respect for religion is not upheld by Spinoza. One overarching theme in Spinoza’s Theological-Political Treatise is the corruption of religious authority. Spinoza emphasizes the validity of natural knowledge as prophetic knowledge and does not set strict restrictions on who can become a prophet because he wants to take the prophets off their pedestals. If the prophets are worshipped and idealized, then they are given too much power, putting the stability of the state in jeopardy. Thus, the point of a prophets’ existence is not to obey them, but to learn from them universal truth. No matter whether one’s own philosophical perspective leans more in the direction of Maimonides or Spinoza, studying the dissertations of both philosophers on prophecy brings attention to the issues that arise when too much power is given to the church and when intellectual endeavors are not pursued out of fear. In a world filled with power-hungry leaders fueled by their own hubris, awareness of this fact is key to being an agent for