Hasdai Crescas c. 1340 – 1410
Hasdai Crescas (c. 1340 – 1410) was a Spanish-Jewish philosopher of the Medieval era, associated with Jewish Philosophy and Medieval Philosophy.
Hasdai ben Abraham Crescas was a Spanish Jewish philosopher and rabbinic leader of the late fourteenth century. After the catastrophes of 1391, in which his only son was killed in the Barcelona pogrom, he reorganized the surviving Jewish communities of Aragon and devoted himself to defending Jewish religious thought against Christian conversion pressure. His Light of the Lord offers a thoroughgoing critique of the Aristotelian foundations of the Jewish philosophical tradition, defending the existence of an actual infinite, void, and time independent of motion. His thought anticipated central themes of Spinoza.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Spanish-Jewish
- Era
- Medieval
- Movements
- Jewish Philosophy, Medieval Philosophy
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Hasdai Crescas:
“Love, not knowledge, is the highest end of the soul.”
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Attributed to Hasdai Crescas:
“Time is the measure of duration and is independent of motion.”
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Attributed to Hasdai Crescas:
“True devotion to God is the foundation of religion.”
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Attributed to Hasdai Crescas:
“An actual infinite is not a contradiction.”
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Attributed to Hasdai Crescas:
“The will is moved by what it considers good.”
Frequently asked about Hasdai Crescas
- When did Hasdai Crescas live?
- Hasdai Crescas was born in c. 1340 and died in 1410.
- Where was Hasdai Crescas from?
- Hasdai Crescas was a Spanish-Jewish philosopher of the Medieval era.
- What philosophical movements is Hasdai Crescas associated with?
- Hasdai Crescas was associated with Jewish Philosophy and Medieval Philosophy.
- What was Hasdai Crescas known for?
- Hasdai ben Abraham Crescas was a Spanish Jewish philosopher and rabbinic leader of the late fourteenth century.
- How many quotes are attributed to Hasdai Crescas?
- There are 5 attributed quotations from Hasdai Crescas in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.