Intellectual humility, or how to combine ignorance with regard to knowledge with certainty regarding the covenant

Authors

  • Stanisław Krajewski Uniwersytet Warszawski

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15633/lie.1917

Keywords:

Bible, Judaism, truth, orthopraxy, orthodoxy, covenant, atheism, martyrdom, religious law

Abstract

Moses is presented in the Bible as an incomparably humble man. How is it possible, given that according to the Scripture he had greater capacities and deeper knowledge than anyone else? It is possible if we distinguish “the knowledge about something” form “the knowledge to do something.” Religious truths can be doubted, religious obligations can still be retained. Truth has a universal dimension, obligations can be particular. This approach is helpful in interfaith dialogue, as it makes possible full openness to another tradition. In Judaism orthopraxy is stressed much more than orthodoxy. Even though many elements of the Biblical account may be not literally true, the narrative is rooted in some real events. And it serves as the foundation of the tradition as we know it. In the framework of Judaism it is described as the result of the Covenant with the Creator. It is manifested in religious legislation, always in need of interpretation by experts.

Author Biography

  • Stanisław Krajewski, Uniwersytet Warszawski
    Prof. dr hab. Stanisław Krajewski pracuje w Instytucie Filozofii Uniwersytetu War­szawskiego. Jest przewodniczącym Rady Naukowej tego instytutu. Od ponad ćwierć wieku współprzewodniczy Polskiej Radzie Chrześcijan i Żydów. Współtwórca wystawy głównej w Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich POLIN. Autor artykułów i książek z zakresu logiki, filozofii matematyki, myśli żydowskiej i dialogu międzyreligijnego.

References

Contemporary Jewish religious thought, eds. A. Cohen, P. Mendes-Flohr, New York 1988.

Christianity in Jewish terms, eds. T. Frymer-Kensky, D. Novak, P. Ochs, D. Sandmel, M. Signer, Boulder CO 2000.

Jewish theology and world religions, eds. A. Goshen-Gottstein, E. Korn, Oxford 2012.

Learned ignorance. An investigation into humility in interreligious dialogue among Christians, Muslims and Jews, eds. J. Heft, R. Firestone, O. Safi, New York 2011.

Heschel A. J., Between God and man, New York 1959.

Heschel A. J., Żadna religia nie jest samotną wyspą, Kraków 2005.

Knitter P. F., Jesus and other names, Oxford, England 1996.

Krajewski S., Tajemnica Izraela a tajemnica Kościoła, Warszawa 2007.

Krajewski S., A meditation on intellectual humility, or, on a Fusion of Epistemic Ignorance and Covenantal Certainty, [w:] Learned ignorance. An investigation into humility in interreligious dialogue among Christians, Muslims and Jews, eds. J. Heft, R. Firestone, O. Safi, New York 2011, s. 241–256.

Krajewski S., Historia a religijność, „Chrześcijaństwo – Świat – Polityka. Zeszyty Społecznej Myśli Kościoła” no 1 (12) 2011, s. 15–24.

Krajewski S., Can another religion be seen as the Other?, [w:] Jewish theology and world religions, eds. A. Goshen-Gottstein, E. Korn, Oxford 2012, s. 137–147.

Krajewski S., Żydzi i…, Kraków 2014.

Langton R., Kantian humility, our ignorance of things in themselves, New York 2001.

Levinas E., A l’heure des nations, Paris 1988.

Levinas E., Judaisme et kénose, [w:] E. Levinas, A L’heure des nations, Paris 1988, s. 133–151.

Levinas E., Trudna wolność, Gdynia 1991.

Morinis A., Everyday holiness, the Jewish spiritual path of Mussar, Boston 2007.

Novak D., Introduction, [w:] Christianity in Jewish terms, eds. T. Frymer-Kensky, D. Novak, P. Ochs, D. Sandmel, M. Signer, Boulder CO 2000, s. 1–6.

Roskies D., Memory, [w:] Contemporary Jewish religious thought, eds. A. Cohen, P. Mendes-Flohr, New York 1988, s. 581–586.

Salanskis J.-M., Ways of infinity, „Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric” 2016 no 44 (57): Theology in mathematics?, s. 169–180.

Telushkin J., A code of Jewish ethics, vol. 1, New York 2006.

Downloads

Published

2017-01-01

Issue

Section

Articles