While the great medieval philosopher; theologian; and physician Maimonides is acknowledged as a leading Jewish thinker; his intellectual contacts with his surrounding world are often described as related primarily to Islamic philosophy. Maimonides in His World challenges this view by revealing him to have wholeheartedly lived; breathed; and espoused the rich Mediterranean culture of his time. Sarah Stroumsa argues that Maimonides is most accurately viewed as a Mediterranean thinker who consistently interpreted his own Jewish tradition in contemporary multicultural terms. Maimonides spent his entire life in the Mediterranean region; and the religious and philosophical traditions that fed his thought were those of the wider world in which he lived. Stroumsa demonstrates that he was deeply influenced not only by Islamic philosophy but by Islamic culture as a whole; evidence of which she finds in his philosophy as well as his correspondence and legal and scientific writings. She begins with a concise biography of Maimonides; then carefully examines key aspects of his thought; including his approach to religion and the complex world of theology and religious ideas he encountered among Jews; Christians; Muslims; and even heretics; his views about science; the immense and unacknowledged impact of the Almohads on his thought; and his vision of human perfection. This insightful cultural biography restores Maimonides to his rightful place among medieval philosophers and affirms his central relevance to the study of medieval Islam.
#573173 in Books 2014-05-25Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x 5.50 x 1.25l; .84 #File Name: 0691143773296 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. I would recommend it for students of yogaBy Rod SandleAlthough a worthwhile read and closely researched work on the written legacy of the yoga sutra; White's approach seems to lack an integrated understanding. For example he seems unable to grasp that the necessary distinction between purusha and prakriti can also be understood as their absolute unity. He shows little deep exploration of the oral tradition and the way it has and still does impact on the teaching of the yoga sutra; relying on written records as his source. For me this made the work frustrating to read at times but also challenging in a positive way. I would recommend it for students of yoga.7 of 8 people found the following review helpful. An indispensable reading for a yoga scholarBy G. A. BRAVO-CASASThe "Yoga Sutra" of Patanjali; written between the second and fourth centuries CE; is considered to be the classic yoga text. There are numerous translations and editions that include also the main commentaries written in the last 16 centuries. This excellent book is part of a new series called Lives of Great Religious Books; and Professor White presents a critical biographical account of this masterwork through the years; each one of its 16 chapters is a gaudy historical tableau. The author has the best credentials to deal with such a difficult subject; as he is the J. F. Rowny Professor of Religious Studies at the University of California; Santa Barbara. He is the author of various stimulant works; including "The Alchemical Body: Siddha Traditions in Medieval India" (1996); "Kiss of the Yogini. `Tantric Sex' in its South Asian Context;" (2003); "Sinister Yogis" (2009); he is also the editor of "Yoga in Practice" (2012).The book uses a clear and crisp language and many of the statements are provocative and controversial. Such an approach is explained by his declaration that "the task of the religious studies scholar is not only to make the strange seem familiar; but also to make the familiar seem strange ... our goal is both to reorient and to disorient" (this quote comes from his article "Yoga; Brief History of an Idea;" included in his book "Yoga in Practice;" mentioned above). Prof. White highlights the impenetrability of the "Yoga Sutra" as the text was composed in a cryptic language; intended to be used for easy memorization and for oral transmission and he reminds us that the 195 aphorisms which contain around 1;200 words; have only four verbs.His main thesis is that the generalized idea that the "Yoga Sutra" is part of a long unbroken tradition initiated long time before Patanjali; which has been linking gurus; students; commentators and copyists from those early times to the present; is incorrect. Prof. White puts into question many things; including the relevance and irrelevance of the Sutra for modern yoga; and the identity of Patanjali as the author and Vyasa as the main commentator. He raises the issue that the Sutra could be the result of mixing the first three chapters; which have a Buddhist tone; with a fourth chapter that provides a Hindu expression. He develops the idea that the "Sutra" was ignored in India for centuries and that it was rediscovered by the British Orientalists in the 18th century and that the work acquired its modern reputation after it was recognized a masterpiece by Vivekananda a century later and then became part of the marketing of the "Modern Postural Yoga" boom. He traces the links between the "Sutra" and the rise and fall of the Theosophical movement. One of the most debatable chapters has the title "The Strange Case of T. M. Krishnamacharya;" Krishnamacharya (1888-1989) is considered the father of modern yoga. After long well-documented detours; using a long list of notes and references; many of which are accessible only online; Prof White simply concludes his deconstructive analysis indicating that the yoga that we practice today; particularly in the US; is completely different from the yoga of past India.One of the critics of this book is the yoga teacher and co-founder of "Yoga Community Toronto;" Matthew Remski; who wrote a very challenging review comparing Prof. White's biography with the story in the film "The Red Violin;" where the final message is that what really counts is the recognition of the power of great music (this article can be seen at the site http://matthewremski.com/wordpress/the-yoga-sutras-and-the-red-violin-a-review-of-david-gordon-whites-new-book). In a similar vein; we may conclude that whatever is the real story; the "Yoga Sutra" remains a great source of inspiration.18 of 21 people found the following review helpful. ESSENTIAL READNG ON YOGA HISTORY PHILOSOPHYBy Mark StephensAuthor; scholar; and yogi; David Gordan White has given us several deeply insightful (and I must say highly enjoyable to read) works on yoga history and philosophy; including Yoga in Practice; Tantra in Practice; The Alchemical Body; Kiss of the Yogini and others.Here; White combines his usual impeccable scholarship and highly accessible writing style to offer a deep meditation on the origins; development; and extraordinarily diverse array of transliterations and commentaries on The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali; which along with the Bhagavad-Gita is the most read ancient book on yoga.If you read twenty-five different books on the Yoga Sutras; you are likely to discover twenty-five very different - even conflicting - interpretations. On deeper study you are are likely to start asking questions such as; "who was Patanjali?" or "why does this or that particular author offer such different views?" or "how does this pertain to my personal practice or my teaching?"White untangles these and other questions; and along the way the reader comes to appreciate that most of what we have previously learned about Patanjali's ancient set of 195 brief aphorisms on yoga practice; method; and benefits is extremely distorted; more in service to one's contemporary brand or power in the yoga community than to excavating or sharing what insights might have been in the original writings.If you've ever wondered about the origins or veracity of ancient yoga writings; if you've pondered the relationship between the received wisdom of tradition and your practice or teaching today; this book is most definitely for you. It's deep yet also a delightful page turner; taking us up and down and all across India; back-and-forth from India to the West; to the Muslim world; and into the heart of the practice.NOTE: If you do not have an open mind; if you cling to the teachings of a guru as the source of truth; this book might be terribly upsetting. Read it at the risk of further opening to a practice that liberates you from myths; distortions; and boldface lies; that opens you to a yoga practice that's about awakening to greater clarity.
