14457
Specialization Seminar
WiSe 24/25: Determinism and Free Will in Jewish Thought
Lukas Mühlethaler
Information for students
Course language: German and English
Comments
Do we control our actions, or are they decided by things we can’t change? This is one of the fundamental problems Jewish philosophers through the ages have struggled to answer. The complexity of this problem also stems from the fact that answering it in a certain way will impact answers to other fundamental problems in Jewish philosophy, such as divine foreknowledge versus human free will, the purpose of the commandments, moral responsibility, and the nature of repentance. This course takes the question of determination vs. free will serves as a starting point to explore fundamental problems Jewish philosophers grappled with in various historical-intellectual contexts from antiquity to the present. To do so, we will read source texts in translation and some research literature. While the course introduces important texts, figures, and concepts, it also covers areas that have remained marginalized in present accounts of Jewish philosophy. The course does not presuppose any knowledge in philosophy or the Jewish tradition. All texts will be read in translations into English (or other languages if necessary), and classroom discussions will be facilitated in both English and German. close
16 Class schedule
Regular appointments
Mon, 2024-10-14 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2024-10-21 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2024-10-28 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2024-11-04 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2024-11-11 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2024-11-18 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2024-11-25 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2024-12-02 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2024-12-09 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2024-12-16 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2025-01-06 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2025-01-13 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2025-01-20 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2025-01-27 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2025-02-03 14:00 - 16:00
Mon, 2025-02-10 14:00 - 16:00