Rethinking Jewish Philosophy: Beyond Particularism and Universalism

Jewish thought is, in many ways, a paradox. Is it theology or is it philosophy? Does it use universal methods to articulate Judaism's particularity or does it justify Judaism's particularity with appeals to illuminating the universal? These two sets of claims are difficult if not impossible to reconcile, and their tension reverberates throughout the length and breadth of Jewish philosophical writing, from Saadya Gaon in the ninth century to Emmanuel Levinas in the twentieth. Rather than assume, as most scholars of Jewish philosophy do, that the terms "philosophy" and "Judaism" simply belong together, Hughes explores the juxtaposition and the creative tension that ensues from their cohabitation, examining adroitly the historical, cultural, intellectual, and religious filiations between Judaism and philosophy. Breaking with received opinion, this book seeks to challenge the exclusionary, particularist, and essentialist nature that is inherent to the practice of something problematically referred to as "Jewish philosophy." Hughes begins with the premise that Jewish philosophy is impossible and begins the process of offering a sophisticated and constructive rethinking of the discipline that avoids the traditional extremes of universalism and particularism.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements Preface Introduction: Occupation Chapter One: Impossibilities Chapter Two: Irreconcilability Chapter Three: Kaddish Chapter Four: Authoritarianism: A Case Study Chapter Five: Rosenzweig's Patient Chapter Six: Beyond Notes Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Aaron W. Hughes is Philip S. Bernstein Chair of Jewish Studies, Department of Religion and Classics at the University of Rochester.

Review :
"Hughes s book is both instructive and provocative. For scholars teaching or conducting research in the field of Jewish philosophy, the questions that Hughes raises cannot be ignored....Hughes has opened up an important discussion that cannot be dismissed."--AJS Review "A comprehensive, historically nuanced examination of 'Jewish philosophy' that challenges pervasive, long-held assumptions regarding the nature of the field."--Shofar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies "Aaron Hughes proposes no less than a deconstruction of the category of Jewish Philosophy. In an approach that is sensitive to history yet resolute in its conclusions, Hughes foregrounds the paradoxes and impossibilities of identity politics inherent in particular/universal binarisms, and enjoins us to enter a liberating engagement with Jewish metaphilosophy. A deeply thoughtful and principled work that should become essential reading for all students of Jewish philosophical thinking." --Seán Hand, Professor of French,University of Warwick "Aaron Hughes provides a brilliant critical analysis of Jewish philosophy that shows it to be a defensive exercise in the articulation and protection of 'Jewish Peoplehood' rather than a search for disinterested and objective Truth. Only by relinquishing its past and transcending the ideological categories it has produced, he argues, will it be possible to rethink the cultural meaning of Jewishness. This is a must-read book for all philosophers of religion." --Donald Wiebe, Professor of Philosophy, Trinity College, University of Toronto "What is the purpose of Jewish philosophy? Answering this question by re-examining how we define and analyze Judaism and philosophy, Aaron Hughes develops a fascinating critique of the limitations that have hampered scholars, and gives us a highly original proposal for future Jewish philosophizing. Written with clarity and in a lively style, this book is a superb introduction to Jewish philosophy and a thoughtful challenge to all religious philosophers." --Susannah Heschel, Eli Black Professor of Jewish Studies, Dartmouth College "Hughes subjects the entire project of Jewish philosophy to an incisive and provocative evaluation that is both iconoclastic and constructive, offering a fresh vision for 'doing' Jewish philosophy in the future. He argues forcefully and persuasively for a sorely needed corrective that is critical for the survival of Jewish philosophy. The book's appeal transcends the narrow confines of Jewish studies, and scholars across the spectrum of disciplines within the umbrella of Religious Studies will benefit from its challenging and erudite critique." --James A. Diamond, Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Chair of Jewish Studies, University of Waterloo "Jewish philosophy, like any religious based philosophy, does not begin in wonder but in self-defense'-so writes Aaron Hughes to open Rethinking Jewish Philosophy, a book that turns on its head the old model of writing and reading as ways of expressing a deeply enduring identity. Instead, he offers us a way to understand both as agonistic acts of identification, making meaning in competitive social worlds, where much is always at stake for who we think we are and who we think we are not. This is a redescription of philosophy that social theorists can get behind." --Russell McCutcheon, Co-Author of The Sacred is the Profane: The Political Nature of 'Religion'