New Books in Critical Theory Yehudah Halper, "Averroes on Pathways to Divine Knowledge" (Academic Studies Press, 2025)
Nov 19, 2025
Yehudah Halper, a Professor of Jewish Philosophy at Bar Ilan University, discusses his new book on the 12th-century philosopher Averroes. He delves into Averroes' unique methods for understanding divine knowledge, emphasizing dialectical reasoning over demonstrative certainty. Halper examines the political motivations behind Averroes' writings and his impact on later Jewish thought. The conversation also touches on Averroes’ diverse commentaries, his role as a bridge for Aristotle’s ideas, and the continuous relevance of his philosophical inquiries.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Protecting Philosophical Autonomy
- Averroes sought to preserve independent philosophical science while separating it from popular religious interpretation.
- He defended a distinct class of demonstrative scientists who could interpret religion philosophically.
Persecution and Preservation
- Averroes was initially successful under the Almohad regime but later exiled and censored.
- His survival owed to Hebrew and Latin translations that kept his works alive.
Three Modes Of Knowing
- Averroes classifies people by modes of knowing: rhetorical, dialectical, and demonstrative.
- He ties these epistemic classes to legal and political protections for scientific elites.
