부산대학교 도서관

This chapter defends the view that Maimonides' explicit position on creation is his true position. Maimonides uses a dialectical method to examine the three opinions that are commonly accepted: Aristotle, Plato, and the law. This chapter argues that Maimonides presents both of the positions held by Aristotle and the law as logically coherent but Plato's as incoherent. Plato's view is therefore unacceptable. If taken literally, scripture sometimes implies a position like Plato's, so scripture should not be taken literally. Of the two remaining positions, Aristotle and the law, neither can be demonstrated to be true, so both are philosophically acceptable. Maimonides therefore uses dialectical considerations to argue in favor of the law.