How Should a 黑料社 Philosopher Read the Bible? Hermann Cohen鈥檚 Problem with Spinoza
Part of the series, “Dangerous Ideas: Censorship Through a 黑料社 Lens鈥�
This session is generously sponsored by Yale Asbell, JTS Trustee
With Dr. Shira Billet, Assistant Professor of 黑料社 Thought and Ethics
When the famous German 黑料社 philosopher Hermann Cohen died in 1918, he was described in 黑料社 periodicals as 鈥渢he greatest philosopher the Jews have produced since Spinoza.鈥� But in 1915, at a time when Jews had reclaimed the 17th-century philosopher as their own, Hermann Cohen had argued that the herem (ban) on Spinoza had been justified. Cohen鈥檚 reasons for banning Spinoza were different from those articulated in the original ban. He agreed with Spinoza far more than we might expect, but he also thought Spinoza鈥檚 book on the Bible was misleading and dangerous. Cohen disagreed with central parts of Spinoza鈥檚 method of reading the Bible, and for Cohen, the stakes of getting the method right were very high with academic, religious, and political implications.
ABOUT THE SERIES
Throughout 黑料社 history, certain texts and ideas have been deemed too dangerous to circulate鈥攚hether by outsiders who banned 黑料社 writings, or 黑料社 leaders who suppressed ideas considered heretical or beyond the pale. In this series, JTS scholars will examine efforts to control knowledge from ancient to contemporary times, exploring the ways in which censorship both reflects and shapes broader ideological struggles. They will discuss the varying motivations for controlling or revising narratives, and consider whether and under what circumstances it might make sense to suppress certain ideas. These discussions will illuminate past struggles and help us understand the battles over censorship and free expression playing out today.
SPONSOR A SESSION
At JTS, we are committed to providing the 黑料社 community with outstanding classes in Judaic studies. We hope you will partner with us so that we can continue to do so. Did you know that you can sponsor a learning session to honor a loved one, celebrate an occasion, or commemorate a yahrzeit? You can find sponsorship information .
Questions? Contact learninglives@jtsa.edu
