As a scientist, philosopher and scholar in Jewish thought, Yeshayahu Leibowitz was one of the most noteworthy thinkers in the twentieth century. He was endowed with a remarkable intellect and was knowledgeable across a variety of fields.

Born in Riga (Latvia) in 1903, he later immigrated to Israel, where he taught organic chemistry, biochemistry, neurology, biology, neurophysiology, philosophy and Jewish thought at Haifa and Jerusalem University. He was Chief Editor of the Hebrew encyclopedia, where he wrote about scientific, philosophical, historical and religious topics.

Leibowitz was an orthodox Jew, but rejected the notion of divine intervention in nature or history. So what was actually Leibowitz' belief? This volume explores his belief system.

Daniel Horowitz was born in Switzerland, where his family fled the Belgian occupation during World War II. His parents returned to Antwerp after the war, so Horowitz grew up within the Jewish community in Antwerp. At the age of fifteen he started working as a diamond cleaver, and later founded his own business together with his brother. In his sixties he retired and immigrated to Israel. Since then he dedicates his time to studying and writing. Horowitz is a music and literature devotee. He is an skillful skier and is fluent in six languages.

Preface

1. Yeshayahu Leibowitz

2. Torah

3. Maimonides

4. Judah Halevi

5. Baruch Spinoza

6. Magical Thinking

7. Values

8. Cognitive and Conative

9. Faith

10. Peoples, States, and History

11. Thou Shalt Not Kill

12. The Mind-Body Problem

13. Biology

14. Science

15. Zionism

16. Christianity

17. A Talent for Error

Afterword

Sources