Judaic logic: A Formal Analysis of Biblical, Talmudic and Rabbinic
Logic is an original inquiry into the forms of thought determining
Jewish law and belief, from the impartial perspective of a
logician. Judaic Logic attempts to honestly estimate the extent to
which the logic employed within Judaism fits into the general
norms, and whether it has any contributions to make to them. The
author ranges far and wide in Jewish lore, finding clear evidence
of both inductive and deductive reasoning in the Torah and other
books of the Bible, and analyzing the methodology of the Talmud and
other Rabbinic literature by means of formal tools which make
possible its objective evaluation with reference to scientific
logic. The result is a highly innovative work - incisive and open,
free of cliches or manipulation. Judaic Logic succeeds in
translating vague and confusing interpretative principles and
examples into formulas with the clarity and precision of
Aristotelian syllogism. Among the positive outcomes, for logic in
general, are a thorough listing, analysis and validation of the
various forms of a-fortiori argument, as well as a clarification of
dialectic logic. However, on the negative side, this
demystification of Talmudic/Rabbinic modes of thought (hermeneutic
and heuristic) reveals most of them to be, contrary to the boasts
of orthodox commentators, far from deductive and certain. They are
often, legitimately enough, inductive. But they are also often
unnatural and arbitrary constructs, supported by unverifiable
claims and fallacious techniques. In sum, Judaic Logic elucidates
and evaluates the epistemological assumptions which have generated
the Halakhah (Jewish religious jurisprudence) and allied doctrines.
Traditional justifications, or rationalizations, concerning Judaic
law and belief, are carefully dissected and weighed at the level of
logical process and structure, without concern for content. This
foundational approach, devoid of any critical or supportive bias,
clears the way for a timely reassessment of orthodox Judaism (and
incidentally, other religious systems, by means of analogies or
contrasts). Judaic Logic ought, therefore, to be read by all
Halakhists, as well as Bible and Talmud scholars and students; and
also by everyone interested in the theory, practice and history of
logic.
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