The Alexandrian Prologue Paradigm in Gersonides' Writings

Abstract

In the fifth and sixth centuries, a long-standing tradition of prefaces to commentaries on the works of Aristotle and Plato was crystallized in the School of Alexandria. The prefaces to the works of Aristotle consisted of a scheme of six to eight points that were to be investigated prior to any further study of the text. This tradition was subsequently transmitted to Syriac literature and Arab philosophy as well as to some Jewish philosophers. Under the influence of Arabic texts that he read in Hebrew translation, and, probably, of Ibn Tibbon's commentary on Ecclesiastes, Gersonides, too, adopts this tradition. He applies it to his own book, The Wars of the Lord, and to what he considered to be Solomon's prefaces to his books: Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, and the Song of Songs. The manner in which he applies the tradition manifests his originality and his independent way of thinking. His originality lies first of all in the application of the prologue paradigm to his own book and not just to a commentary on that of another author. Second, though Ibn Tibbon preceded him in applying the prologue-paradigm to Solomon's books, Gersonides offers novel interpretations of the points mentioned in Solomon's prefaces. His most interesting innovation in the application of the prologue-paradigm is his comments on the utility of mentioning the points in Solomon's prefaces. They express his views about the theory of interpretation and the proper method of reading philosophical books, as well as his own critical spirit.