Summary


Judaic logic: A Formal Analysis of
Biblical, Talmudic and Rabbinic Logic
is an original inquiry into the
forms of thought determining Jewish law and belief, from the objective
perspective of a logician. The author’s previous treatise, Future Logic: Categorical and
Conditional Deduction and Induction of the Natural, Temporal, Extensional and
Logical Modalities
, was a large-scale study of formal logic and
epistemology; in the present work, his purpose is to consider the logic employed
within his religion, Judaism, and honestly estimate the extent to which it fits
into the general norms and whether it has any contributions to make to them. It
covers a wide range of topics:

·
A brief overview of the
sources of Jewish law (the Halakhah),
and a quick introduction to generic logic theory (induction and deduction), for
the uninitiated.

·
The new discovery of an
explicit formulation of the principles of adduction in the Torah
(the Pentateuch), written long before their acknowledgement in Western
philosophy and their assimilation in a developed theory of knowledge
(epistemology).

·
An original and thorough formal
analysis of a-fortiori logic
(the qal
vachomer
type of argument, the most deductive of Judaism’s interpretative
processes), together with a detailed investigation of its use in the Tanakh
(the Jewish Bible) which reveals it to be much more widespread than
traditionally supposed.

·
A reflection on the
psychological and social factors affecting both religious and secular thought,
which may cause people to deviate from openness and objectivity, whether within
one of these domains or in relation to the other.

·
An examination of some of the
main similarities and differences between the methods and databases of religious
and secular pursuits of knowledge, which shows the overwhelmingly inductive (rather than, as traditionally assumed,
deductive) methodology of Talmudic and Rabbinic thought
.

·
A presentation, in
considerable detail, of traditional teachings of Judaic logic, including
principles of interpretation (hermeneutics) and organization (heuristics); and
suggestions for methodical study.

·
A detailed and incisive formalization
and evaluation of the 13 Midot
of
R. Ishmael and other fundamental principles of exegesis of Jewish law – a completely novel research effort (which may be considered as the
central motive of the work), revealing impartially the strengths and weaknesses of Talmudic and Rabbinic modes of thought.

·
A formal study of the ethical
logic
(deontology) found in Jewish law, to elicit its universal aspects and
its peculiarities.

·
Finally, an examination of
possible bases and motives of belief in G-d, and, more broadly, in the religious
tradition; and a critical assessment of some of the less formal legal
generalities adopted by the Rabbinic tradition.


Judaic Logic is of both theoretical and practical value, to students
of Bible and Talmud and to students of Logic and Philosophy alike. The work’s
universality lies in its efforts both (a) to bring Judaic logic into the general
fold, demystifying it and showing the extent to which its processes are, or are
not, commonplace; and (b) to draw from it any lessons of value to logic theory
and practise in general. In fulfilling the first of those tasks, this work
incidentally provides Bible and Talmud students, and more specifically the
deciders of Jewish law, with wider methodological perspectives and powerful new
technical tools. In fulfilling the second, it provides the secular layperson,
the scientist or philosopher, and in particular the logician, with novel
historical insights and formal instruments.