Take-homes are to be typed and no longer than an average of two and one half pages per question.
1. What do you think Philo thought about the religious status of women? Why? Make sure to use the text to support your answer. What do you think of Philo on this subject?
2. How does Saadia explain evil? Make sure to use the text to support your answer. What do you think of his explanation?
3. Using the text to support your view, describe Philo's attitude toward the body. What in Plato supports this attitude? What in Hebrew Scripture? Evaluate Philo's synthesis.
4. Consider the following passage from Epictetus the Stoic:
Never say of anything, "I have lost it"; but, "I have returned it." Is your child dead? It is returned. Is your wife dead? She is returned. Is your estate taken away? Well, and is not that likewise returned? "But he who took it away is a bad man." What difference is it to you who the giver assigns to take it back? While he gives it to you to possess, take care of it; but don't view it as your own, just as travelers view a hotel. (From section 11 of Epictetus' "Enchiridion", ed. James Fieser (Internet Release, 1996).)
Find a similar passage in Philo. Compare and contrast it. Which of the similarities and differences are most important? Why?
5. Describe the predicament of the king in the Kuzari at the beginning of HaLevi's work. Who else is in the king's position? Do you think people in this original position are an intended audience for this work?
6. Describe Saadia's philosophy of revealed law and relate it to his epistemology. Briefly sketch what you take to be an effective criticism of either or both.
7. According to Hyman and Walsh, what are four basic aspects of Maimonides' thought. Which of these did you find most interesting? Why?
8. If the Bible were a philosophical work in the tradition of secret writing would that make it easier or harder for you to accept it? Why or why not?
Would Maimonides or Strauss support an affirmative answer? Why or why not?
9. State a question that should have been asked on this exam. Explain why it's a good question, and outline an answer to it.