Q&A: Request
Request
Question
Hello Rabbi Michi,
This is more of a request than a question. I wanted to know whether you are familiar with Israeli philosophers, writers, or theologians who deal with the kinds of topics you discuss on the site—such as philosophy, faith, Judaism, etc.—but who present a somewhat different angle. People who present arguments whose conclusion is not that God exists (whether deistic or theistic), or that one should observe commandments, but rather the other, more secular side.
I was exposed to your site about a year ago. I’ve managed to read a great many of your posts, all of your notebooks, and two of your books, and I have to say that your words have developed my critical thinking like crazy. So first of all, thank you very much for that. Second, I’m unable to find sources that deal with these topics and present the other side in a logical, consistent, and orderly way. I really feel that I’m missing that angle in order to truly see the full picture and decide.
I’d be happy if you could point me to different websites, if you know any (not sites like "Hofesh" and the like, which in my opinion present more mockery than rationality and depth), names of people who deal with these topics, books, etc.
Thank you, and have a good week.
Answer
Hello,
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately?) I am not familiar with such literature in Hebrew. But even more generally, I’m not familiar with theologians who arrive at the conclusion that there is no God. There are philosophers who deal with the question from various angles. In English there is extensive literature of this kind.
I think there are very few who deal with all the different aspects. Philosophers address one perspective or another, but usually do not survey the issue from all its angles. So if you are looking for material, you need to organize the topic and examine each aspect separately. For example, according to the classification of the proofs that I propose in the notebooks, go through each proof on its own. The ontological proof receives fairly comprehensive treatment in A. Z. Brown’s book, "The Question of Being" — Chapters in Ontological Analysis. He deals with the logic of the proof, but does not discuss the conclusion of whether or not God exists.