The guide for the perplexed · Moses Maimonides
Part II.
The Author’s Introduction. The Twenty-Six Propositions employed by the Philosophers to prove the Existence of God 145 CHAPTER. I Philosophical proofs for the Existence, Incorporeality, and Unity of the First Cause 149 II On the Existence of Intelligences or purely Spiritual Beings 154 III The Author adopts the Theory of Aristotle as least open to Objections 156 IV The Spheres and the Causes of their Motion 156 V Agreement of the Aristotelian Theory with the Teaching of Scripture 159 VI What is meant by the Scriptural Term “Angels” 160 VII The Homonymity of the term “Angel” 162 VIII On the Music of the Spheres 163 IX On the Number of the Heavenly Spheres 163 X The Influence of the Spheres upon the Earth manifests itself in four different ways 164 XI The Theory of Eccentricity Preferable to that of Epicycles 166 XII On the Nature of the Divine Influence and that of the Spheres 168 XIII Three Different Theories about the Beginning of the Universe 171 XIV Seven Methods by which the Philosophers sought to prove the Eternity of the Universe 174 XV Aristotle does not scientifically demonstrate his Theory 176 XVI The Author refutes all Objections to Creatio ex nihilo 178 XVII The Laws of Nature apply to Things Created, but do not regulate the Creative Act which produces them 178 XVIII Examinations of the Proofs of Philosophers for the Eternity of the Universe 181 XIX Design in Nature 184 XX The Opinion of Aristotle as regards Design in Nature 189 XXI Explanation of the Aristotelian Theory that the Universe is the necessary Result of the First Cause 190 XXII Objections to the Theory of the Eternity of the Universe 192 XXIII The Theory of Creatio ex nihilo is preferable to that of the Eternity of the Universe 195 XXIV Difficulty of Comprehending the Nature and the Motion of the Spheres according to the Theory of Aristotle 196 XXV The Theory of Creation is adopted because of its own Superiority, the Proofs based on Scripture being Inconclusive 199 XXVI Examination of a passage from Pirḳe di-Rabbi Eliezer in reference to Creation 200 XXVII The Theory of a Future Destruction of the Universe is not part of the Religious Belief taught in the Bible 201 XXVIII Scriptural Teaching is in favour of the Indestructibility of the Universe 202 XXIX Explanation of Scriptural Phrases implying the Destruction of Heaven and Earth 204 XXX Philosophical Interpretation of Genesis i.-iv.
Ideas discussed in this chapter
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.