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Philo: Foundations of Religious Philosophy in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (1947) is a book by Harry Austryn Wolfson.

Abstract

A seminal work in Philonic studies which has yet to be surpassed in its breadth and scope. This two volume work serves as the second volume in the series “Structure and Growth of Philosophic Systems from Plato to Spinoza,” and was designed to serve as a general prolegomenon to the major problems of religious philosophy for the 17 centuries following Philo. Wolfson is often seen here reacting against traditional scholarship on Philo, where scholars of both philosophy and religious studies had long (and almost universally) considered Philo as unoriginal and nothing more than a footnote in the history of philosophy. Wolfson sets out to see if Philo has a coherent system of his own, and in the end he concludes that in Philo we see the first systematic departure from pagan Greek philosophy. Philo founded this new school of philosophy, with scripture at its core, which would dominate Christian, Jewish, and Islamic philosophy and European thought as a whole for 17 centuries. Only with Spinoza does the movement which Philo began begin to crumble. – Jason Zurawski, University of Michigan

Editions

Published in Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, <2 vols.> 1947. Reprinted several times between 1947 and 1982.

Translations

• Filon: yesodot ha-filosofyah ha-datit ha-Yehudit (1970 Wolfson / Meizels), book (Hebrew ed.)

Contents

Volume I

Chapter 1. Hellenistic Judaism and Philo

• A. Hellenistic Jewish Attitude toward Greek Religion and Philosophy

• B. Philo on Polytheism, Mythology, and Mysteries

• C. Discordance, Conformity, Apostasy

Chapter 2. Handmaid of Scripture

• A. Behind the Allegorical Method

• B. The Allegorical Method

• C. Origin of Scripture and Origin of Philosophy

• D. Faith and Reason

• E. Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation

Chapter 3. Scriptural Presuppositions

Chapter 4. God, the World of Ideas, and the Logos

• A. God and the Ideas

• B. Ideas

• C. Powers

• D. The Intelligible World and the Logos

• E. Relations between God, the Logos, and the Ideas

• F. Logos and Wisdom

• G. The Instrumentality of the Logos, Powers, and Wisdom

• H. The Fiction of Intermediaries

• I. Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation

Chapter 5. Creation and Structure of the World

Chapter 6. The Immanent Logos, Laws of Nature, Miracles

• A. Immanent Logos

• B. Laws of Nature

• C. Miracles

• D. Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation

Chapter 7. Souls, Angels, Immortality

• A. Living Beings

• B. Unbodied Souls or Angels

• C. Animals and Irrational Soul of Man

• D. The Rational Soul of Man

• E. Immortality of the Soul

• F. Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation

Chapter 8. Free Will

• A. Miracles and Freedom

• B. The Choice of Good and Evil

• C. Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation

Volume II

Chapter 9. Knowledge and Prophecy

• A. Sensation, Reason, and Prophecy

• B. The Four Functions of Prophecy

• C. The Three Types of Prophecy

• D. Prophetic Dreams

• E. Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation

Chapter 10. Proofs of the Existence of God

Chapter 11. The Unknowability of God and Divine Predicates

• A. Unity, Incorporeality, Simplicity

• B. “Without Quality” - ἂποιος

• C. The Unnamability and Unknowability of God

• D. Divine Properties

• E. The Essence of the Created Powers

• F. Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation

Chapter 12. Ethical Theory

• A. “Under the Law” and “In Accordance with Nature”

• B. Commandments and Virtues

• C. The Virtue of the Control of Desire

• D. Prayer, Repentance, and Study as Virtues

• E. The Definition of Virtue

• F. The Reward of Virtue

• G. Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation

Chapter 13. Political Theory

• A. The Mosaic Constitution

• B. The Ideal Constitution

• C. The Messianic Age

• D. Conclusion, Influence, Anticipation

Chapter 14. What is New in Philo?

External links