Torah vs. Greek Chochma

The three sons of the Biblical prophet Noah were Shem, Ham, and Yefet. Torah tradition teaches that mankind has descended from those three sons and their wives.

The Torah teaches that Yefet, who was the ancestor of the Greeks, will dwell in the tent of Shem, who was the ancestor of the Jews. Rav Hirsch zt”l understands the meaning of the name Yefet in psychological terms – Yefet is the ancestor of the Greeks whose minds were expanded in philosophy and science.

We see that the ancient rabbinic sages accepted some ideas from the Greek philosophers, or perhaps the Greeks learned those ideas from the rabbis. There was some overlap between rabbinic thought and Greek thought, and also some definite conflicts – the Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim repeatedly attacks the claims of the Greek philosophers that the Universe is eternal.

The Ramban in his perush on Breishees referred to the initial point of matter that the Universe began with as hiyuli, IE formless matter known to the Greeks as hyle.

Rabbeinu Bachya in Chovos HaLevavos mentions Aristotle’s ideas in a number of places.

Some ideas from Greek or medieval metaphysics that the rabbis accepted are still useful ideas in the modern age. The concept of matter and form seemed to have been widely accepted by the rabbis, and this concept has been revived in a mathematical form in 20th century Quantum Mechanics.

If I recall correctly, Rav Meir Triebetz in some of his shiurim on the hashkafacircle.com website cited Rav Tzadok as claiming that Greek philosophy is the chitzonius (external aspect) of the Kabbalah. There is definitely some evidence for this.

“I quoted also the pious and wise of other nations whose words have come down to us, hoping that my readers’ hearts would incline to them and give heed to their wisdom, as for example, the words of philosophers, the ethical teachings of the ascetics, and their praiseworthy customs. Our Rabbis have already said regarding this (Sanhedrin 39b): One verse says: ‘after the ways of the surrounding nations you have done’ (Ezekiel 5:7). How can this be reconciled? As follows – their good ways you have not copied; their evil ones you have followed.”
(Introduction to Chovos Halevavos-Duties of the Heart)

Revival of Metaphysics

In the modern age, certain concepts previously studied in the field of “Metaphysics” have been largely abandoned and replaced with a mathematical, mechanistic view of the natural order. “Scientism” is a type of modern materialist, atheist belief that our scientific knowledge alone provides us a complete knowledge of reality.

In prior ages, the study of “Metaphysics” was valued as a knowledge system that involved a rational investigation of the general attributes of reality. This study included the attributes of physical and non-physical reality, and the study of the attributes of God and the ultimate causes of what constitutes reality.

Medieval (Aristotelian) Metaphysics can provide a strong impetus to an ethical, monotheistic view of the Universe. This is why certain great rabbis, such as the Rambam and Rabbeinu Bachya, utilized this Metaphysics to prove the existence and oneness of God. A revival of Metaphysics as a legitimate branch of human knowledge would serve an important role in reviving monotheistic beliefs and ending the monopoly of “scientism” on defining reality.

In the Modern Age, Metaphysics (regrettably) has been largely abandoned. The “scientism” that replaced Metaphysics at the start of the Modern Age has provided a huge tailwind to atheist, materialist belief systems.

Modern “scientism” has created a system of “mathematical materialism” and abandoned any of the useful concepts of “Metaphysics” that were included in the scientific thought of the past. In modern “scientism”, the only reality recognized are material phenomenon that are describable with mathematical equations.

By abandoning Metaphysics concepts, and focusing science solely on developing mathematical, material explanations of Nature, modern science has actually created gaping holes in the ability of man to recognize a Creator of the Universe and also to comprehend the Universe. This approach has resulted in the current “scientism” where science is relied on to explain EVERYTHING about reality and the Universe, even though science has no ability to do so.

Instead of atheist scientism, a revival of some aspects of metaphysics needs to occur if we seek to both maintain ethical monotheism and also to maximize our understanding of the Universe.

Metaphysics vs Scientism II

Dr. Edward Feser is a well known Catholic philosophy professor and Aristotelian who seems to be arguing for the revival of Metaphysics. I am inclined to support some of his Metaphysics ideas as they highlight the major flaws in what today we would call “scientism” and materialism. Dr. Feser has explained that “scientism is the view that science alone gives us knowledge of reality.” In contrast to scientism, “Metaphysics is the rational investigation of the general structure of reality and the ultimate causes of things”.

Dr. Feser has explained that Metaphysics is “the most fundamental discipline of all, more fundamental than epistemology, physics, biology, or any other philosophical or scientific discipline”.

I recommend Dr. Feser’s excellent book “Aristotle’s Revenge” – “The Metaphysical Foundations of Physical and Biological Science”. Studying that book has opened up some new intellectual vistas for me. Dr. Feser’s book explains in clear modern English some of the (previously) mysterious concepts in medieval metaphysics that I had encountered while studying the Rambam’s extraordinary Moreh Nevuchim sefer.

Reading Dr. Feser’s book, initially mysterious metaphysical concepts such as potential and actual, matter and form, and efficient cause and final cause started to come to life for me.

I found especially fascinating Dr. Feser’s eloquent criticisms of modern science for its abandonment of ancient Metaphysics concepts. It appears that this abandonment of metaphysics paved a clear road for modern science to promote atheism, materialism, and contempt for religion.

The ideas in “Aristotle’s Revenge” have alerted me as to a possible significant factor in the large scale abandonment of Judaism by many Jews who, in the last few hundred years, have been greatly influenced by modern atheist “science” and materialism. I have become more aware of the necessity for religious Jews to become reacquainted with certain Metaphysics concepts, and thus hopefully reinvigorate Torah monotheism that has been under attack by atheist modern “science”.

Metaphysics vs Scientism

Before the modern era, many philosopher/scientists studied what people in the modern age would call “metaphysics”. Metaphysics” might be roughly defined as the study of the most general structure of reality, along with the study of the ultimate causes of the various forms of existence.

Scientism might be defined as a a philosophy and world view where science is assumed to explain EVERYTHING we know about reality and the Universe. In truth though scientism has no ability to do so. Modern “scientism”, which developed in the last four hundred years or so, has created a system of “mathematical materialism” and abandoned any of the useful concepts of “Metaphysics” that were included in scientific thought of the past. In modern “scientism”, the only reality recognized are material phenomenon that are observable and describable with mathematical equations.

By abandoning Metaphysics concepts, and focusing science solely on developing mathematical, material explanations of Nature, modern science has actually created gaping holes in the ability of man to comprehend the Universe. This approach has resulted in the current world view that has been called “scientism”.

If metaphysics can be reintroduced, we will much more able capable of increasing our understanding of the Universe than we would be by relying on “scientism”.