At the Center of the Universe: Essays on Western Intellectual SpaceThis collection of eight essays plus Introduction challenges many of society's most fundamental ideas about the world and ourselves with reasonable, original alternatives. Written from an unapologetically Jewish viewpoint, these essays will be of interest to any intellectually inquisitive person. Is economic gain a universal drive? Is it reasonable to say that the world is the result of chance occurrences? Does humanism understate the value of humanity? These questions and others are considered. |
Contents
| 8 | |
The Rise of the Science of Economics and the Idea of Gain | 33 |
How to Succeed in Knowing without Really Seeing | 59 |
Reason and Random | 77 |
A Timely Note | 91 |
A Look into Proofs of Gd | 108 |
A Sound Mind | 140 |
The Scientist as Poet the Baal Mesorah as Scientist | 153 |
Common terms and phrases
abstract accept agnostic amount of change answer argue aspects assertion Babylonian Talmud basic basis belief body certainly chaos claim clear concerned conflict considered Copernican system Copernicus Cosmological Argument cosmology culture described discussion efficient cause epistemology essential evaluated example existence of G-d experience fact false final cause formal Furthermore G-d's existence gain heavens heliocentric human idea important intellectual interest interpret issues knowledge Kuhn least logic Maimonides material mathematical induction measure merely Mesorah mind modern science motion motive nature objects observation obvious ontological proof origin particular Perfect physical position possible problem production question Rambam Random Hypothesis realm reason reference relationship result Rosh Hashanah science of economics scientific scientists sense someone standard statements structure taharah Teleological Argument theorem theories thick description things Thomas Kuhn thought Torah Tosafot traditional true truth understanding universe Yerushalmis