Introduction to the History of Hebrew Philosophy

...anyone will discover for themselves in reality original: reipfa that I am devoted to no one, and that I have plainly sworn an oath to the words of no master This is a famous allusion to the Roman poet Horace: Nullius addictus iurare in verba magistri. It signifies the author's intellectual independence and refusal to follow any single school of thought blindly.. For it can scarcely happen that the duty of a historian original: historici munere is performed correctly here, except by one who brings with him a mind equally free from hatred and from love. Therefore, I have determined to set forth impartially both those things that seem to deserve praise and those that deserve blame.

And this, unless I am mistaken, I have already sufficiently proven by the example of this first specimen which I am now publishing. Indeed, it is abundantly clear that the seat of true wisdom original: verae sapientiae was among the Hebrew people original: gente Ebraea; thus, the dogmas The term dogmata here refers to established philosophical or theological principles. received among them—before they were infected by the stain of the age and lost the purity of wisdom along with their piety—must be regarded as monuments of a doctrine divinely derived for mortals; this cannot be denied by any reasoning. To this extent, therefore, I praise Hebrew philosophy, and I strive with the greatest strength I can to ensure it is both followed and rescued from the darkness in which it lies buried.

But after it was corrupted by the empty fabrications original: commentis of mortals, there is certainly a need for circumspection, lest we embrace folly instead of wisdom, or a cloud instead of Juno This is a classical reference to the myth of Ixion, who tried to seduce the goddess Juno but was tricked into embracing a cloud shaped like her; it serves as a metaphor for chasing an illusion or a falsehood while believing it to be the truth.. And I do not conceal this, so that I may openly and without ambiguity declare throughout what things please or displease me, and what I consider true documents of the ancient philosophy of the Hebrews, and what I consider spurious and the fabrications original: figmentis of more recent writers.

Meanwhile, the philosophy of the Hebrews has this characteristic and peculiarity: it leads us to the knowledge of certain things which [are...] by others...