The Eight Chapters of Maimonides on Ethics - Shemonah Perakim: A Psychological And Ethical Treatise

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Jaraczewski ( ZPhKr, XL VI, p. 23) refers to a Latin translation which appeared in Bologna in 1520. Although this decided difference of opinion as to Maimonides' attitude towards the Talmud still exists, all, however, agree ​that his main object was to harmonize Jewish traditional belief with the current Aristotelian philosophy. [8] For this work Maimonides was admirably equipped; his ability as a systematizer was most remarkable, and not only had he a profound knowledge of Jewish law and lore, but was so deep a student of philosophy and the sciences that his works have since exercised considerable influence even outside the domains of Judaism. [9] His chapters, for instance, in the Moreh on the Mutakallimun have become the main source for the history and knowledge of the Kalām. [10]

McGhee explains that many try to contain environmental risk to other communities that they term “sacrifice zones.” These have been historically neighborhoods of color. Looking at the distance between neighborhoods of color and toxin-causing incinerators shows environmental racism. This is also true of landfills, which are placed in less-affluent neighborhoods so rich people don’t have to look at their garbage. But POC don’t choose to live in sacrifice zones, the author notes. Rather, that was the only place they were able to live, either due to restrictions or due to being priced out of other places. The commentaries on the Peraḳim are found in some of the above-mentioned editions. They are the ספר חסד אברהם‎ by ​Hurwitz, which is found in all editions of the Talmud which contain Maimonides' commentary, [104] and that of Lichtenstein in his ספר הין צדק‎. I.T. was conscious of such errors in his translations. See his Preface to the Moreh, in which he refers to his father's (Jehudah's) Preface to his translation of Baḥya ibn Pakuda's חובות הלבבות‎, where Jehudah dwells upon the difficulties in translating from Arabic into Hebrew. Cf. HUb., p. 374.In the Moreh, which appeared at least twenty-five years after the Com. on the Mishnah, there are twelve or more references to the latter, four of which are to the Peraḳim. See Moreh, I, 39; III, 35 (twice), 48. Scheyer, in Das psychologische System des Maimonides (Frankfurt a. M., 1845), which he designated as an introduction to the Moreh, draws largely from the Peraḳim, and constantly refers to them in the notes. See especially Chaps. I, II, and IV. Munk, in the notes in his Guide, refers a number of times to the Mish. Com., many of these being to the Peraḳim. In Vol. I, p. 210, n. 1, he quotes at length from Peraḳim I on the rational faculty, and on p. 232, n. 1, from Peraḳim VIII on the attributes of God. Other references are found in Vol. I, p. 125, n. 2, to Peraḳim II (the classification of the virtues); p. 286, n. 3, to Peraḳim VIII (miracles); p. 355, n. 1, to Peraḳim I (the faculties); p. 400, n. 2, to Peraḳim I (the theory of imagination of the Mutakallimun); etc.

As it has been the aim of the editor to restore the text as it came from the pen of Ibn Tibbon, it has very often become necessary for him to place in the notes readings whose Hebrew is superior to that of those retained in the text. [79] Ibn Tibbon, on the whole, translated literally, and consequently the literalism of a reading indicates conclusively that it originated with him. The more idiomatic renderings are due to copyists, who endeavored to improve the text, but who, it may be added, ​through their ignorance of the Arabic constructions, at times introduced errors into their manuscripts. [80] Rosin, Ethik, p. 33, describes the Peraḳim in general as an “Abriss der allgemeinen Ethik,” and Chapters I and II as “die psychologische Grundlage der Ethik im Allgemeinen und Besonderen.” Wolff, Acht Capitel, Introd., p. xii, calls them a “System der Ethik.” The five most common subjects that couples fight about are money, sex, in-laws, alcohol or drug use, and parenting.

Other editions of the same are Lublin, 1616; ib., 1622; Krakau, 1577; ib., 1602. See Fürst, loc. cit. Hurwitz was a pupil of R. Moses Isserles; see Monatsch. für Gesch. und Wissenschaft des Judenthum (1903), vol. XI, p. 163, n. 1.