When did Gersonides live?

Gersonides was born in 1288 and died in 1344.

Where was Gersonides from?

Gersonides was a French-Jewish philosopher of the Medieval era.

What philosophical movements is Gersonides associated with?

Gersonides was associated with Jewish Philosophy and Medieval Philosophy.

How many quotes are attributed to Gersonides?

There are 5 attributed quotations from Gersonides in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.

Gersonides 1288 – 1344

Gersonides (1288 – 1344) was a French-Jewish philosopher of the Medieval era, associated with Jewish Philosophy and Medieval Philosophy.

Levi ben Gershon, known by the Latinized name Gersonides, was a fourteenth-century Jewish philosopher, astronomer, mathematician, and biblical exegete who lived in Provence. His Wars of the Lord engaged the philosophical heritage of Maimonides and Aristotle on the central questions of the soul, prophecy, divine knowledge, providence, creation, and miracle, defending a number of distinctive positions, including a creation from primordial matter and a qualified divine omniscience. He produced commentaries on most of the Hebrew Bible, original work in trigonometry and astronomy, and the invention of the Jacob's staff for celestial measurement.

Key facts

Nationality: French-Jewish
Era: Medieval
Movements: Jewish Philosophy, Medieval Philosophy

Selected quotes

Attributed to Gersonides:

“God knows all that he can know, and what is unknowable is unknowable in itself.”
Attributed to Gersonides:

“Reason is the path to truth, even in matters of religion.”
Attributed to Gersonides:

“The world has a beginning in time, but matter is the substrate from which it was formed.”
Attributed to Gersonides:

“Astronomy is the study of the divine order in the heavens.”
Attributed to Gersonides:

“Prophecy is a perfection of the human intellect that participates in the active intellect.”

Gersonides by topic

Gersonides on God 4 quotes
Gersonides on Knowledge 4 quotes

Frequently asked about Gersonides

When did Gersonides live?: Gersonides was born in 1288 and died in 1344.
Where was Gersonides from?: Gersonides was a French-Jewish philosopher of the Medieval era.
What philosophical movements is Gersonides associated with?: Gersonides was associated with Jewish Philosophy and Medieval Philosophy.
What was Gersonides known for?: Levi ben Gershon, known by the Latinized name Gersonides, was a fourteenth-century Jewish philosopher, astronomer, mathematician, and biblical exegete who lived in Provence.
How many quotes are attributed to Gersonides?: There are 5 attributed quotations from Gersonides in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.