Philosophy

1). In the selections from the Talmud (98-105), can you discern any specific ethical system out of the ones we discussed last week? If so which? If not why? What would the Talmudic ethicists have thought of these systems?

2). What does Rabbi Mishna mean when he says “If I do not look to myself, who will do so? But if I look only to myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” (Bonevac 100), and “It is not incumbent on thee to complete the whole task, but thou art not at liberty therefore to neglect it entirely.” (Bonevac 102).

3). Explain Al-Farabi’s statement that “he who possesses the faculty for exploiting what is comprised by the theoretical matters for the benefit of all others possesses the faculty for making such matters intelligible as well as for bringing into actual existence those of them that depend on the will”? (Bonevac 117).