The Beginning of Wisdom
The Beginning of Wisdom
Author: Leon KassCategory: Judaism
ISBN: 9780226425672
Format : Paperback
Publisher : Univ of Chicago Pr
Min Price: 11.00
Max Price: 53.00
As ardent debates over creationism fill the front pages of newspapers, Genesis has never been more timely. And as Leon R. Kass shows in The Beginning of Wisdom, it’ s also timeless. Examining Genesis in a philosophical light, Kass presents it not as a story of what happened long ago, but as the enduring story of humanity itself. He asserts that the first half of Genesis contains insights about human nature that “ rival anything produced by the great philosophers.” Kass here reads these first stories— from Adam and Eve to the tower of Babel— as a mirror for self-discovery that reveals truths about human reason, speech, freedom, sexual desire, pride, shame, anger, and death. Taking a step further in the second half of his book, Kass explores the struggles in Genesis to launch a new way of life that addresses mankind’ s morally ambiguous nature by promoting righteousness and holiness. Even readers who don’ t agree with Kass’ s interpretations will find The Beginning of Wisdom a compelling book— a masterful philosophical take on one of the world’ s seminal religious texts. “ Extraordinary. . . . Its analyses and hypotheses will leave no reader’ s understanding of Genesis unchanged.” — New York Times “ A learned and fluent, delightfully overstuffed stroll through the Gates of Eden. . . . Mix Harold Bloom with Stephen Jay Gould and you’ ll get something like Kass. A wonderfully intelligent reading of Genesis.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review “ Throughout his book, Kass uses fruitful, fascinating techniques for getting at the heart ofGenesis. . . . Innumerable times [he] makes a reader sit back and rethink what has previously been tediously familiar or baffling.” — Washington Post “ It is important to state that this is a book not merely rich, but prodigiously rich with insight. Kass is a marvelous reader, sensitive and careful. His interpretations surprise again and again with their cogency and poignancy.” — Jerusalem Post
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