The Birth of Thought in the Spanish Language
14th century Hebrew-Spanish Philosophy
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Book
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Chapter
Originals
So far, five copies have been found. In the Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid, the most complete, in the Biblioteca Escurialense, in the Library of the University of Cambridge, in the private library of Antonio Rodr...
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Chapter
XIV: Little Words, Big Actions. Writing’s Philosophy
Miserable people can be great. It is very important to think before acting. There are dangers in writing and words, but spoken words can be changed in our memory or by interest. Speaking words are like winds, ...
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Chapter
XVIII: Philosophy of Language and Silence
There are problems with speaking too much, but also problems with being quiet. The advantages of being quiet or controlling our words are described, and the dangers of linguistic contamination and discourse. T...
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Chapter
XVI: Knowledge and Friendship
Knowledge is a cause of virtue and happiness, especially when we meet a friend. But how difficult is it to get a good friend? How can friendship and interests be different? The scissors are a metaphor for frie...
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Chapter
XX: Wisdom in a Contradictory World
The more wisdom one has, the more pleasures one obtains. The same applies to good actions. Property or wealth can be lost, but not wisdom. However, pure happiness is impossible in the world. There is relativis...
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Chapter
XXII: United Power in the King
The best and the worst in the world comes from humans. We need to defend ourselves from others, such as enemies (pre-Hobbes). It is best for the strong and the weak to be united, and much better under the king...
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Chapter
The Life of Rabbi Santob
We know very little about his life, but he lived in Carrion de los Condes, in the province of Palencia (Castile) in the fourteenth century, at the court of the Kings Alfonso XI and Pedro I of Castile. It is no...
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Chapter
The Book: Proverbs
The title was different depending on what type of manuscript we find, because this book was also combined with other works. Comments by its contemporaries and afterward are included.
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Philosophy in the Spanish Kingdoms in the Time of Santob
After philosophers such as Seneca, San Isidore of Seville, and Averroes a Lull (R. Lulius), in Santob’s times lived an Arabic philosopher in Seville, Ibn Jaldún. There was wide and open sharing of knowledge af...
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Chapter
Dialogue with Santob: Reflections on Politics, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, Ethics Aesthetics, Metaphysics and Theodicy
In his Proverbs, Santob wanted to leave something after death to humankind with metaphors, which is in some ways very contemporary, through aphorisms, flexible thinking, and recreating ancient Greek philosophy...
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Chapter
Carrión at the Time of Santob
Civil wars for one or another king took place in Santob’s Carrion de los Condes, whose childhood was spent at the Court of Castile, where the young prince was educated until his coronation. A Jewish sect, karaite...
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Chapter
I: Skepticism
He tries to say what he sees, but all humans change their opinions many times. Relativism is the most common. Values depend on the point of view. Also in nature, opposites and contradictions work as a general ...
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Palencia and Europe at That Time
An economic crisis, hunger caused by the wars, and the bubonic plague devastated the region. In some parts, 75% of the people died. King Alfonso XI also died of the plague, but they were still building large g...
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Chapter
V: World’s and Humans’ Variety
Few are wiser, but many are madmen. We need to work for the best, but nothing is guaranteed. Variety is the common law in humankind customs, some we must move on and change. The universe is movement too (Herac...
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Chapter
IX: Human Misery and Being Giving
Everyone is morally miserable, we are never supermen and we cannot be gods with accumulation. No-one is born to get all his desires. Those who give goods to others receive goodness, and vice versa. It is bette...
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Chapter
VII: Needless Life of Wiser
It is imprudent to work for money and a waste of time. The learned does not work in what he does not need. Wealth should be shared and give benefit to others. Good actions are values in themselves. Santob’s hy...
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Chapter
XI: Philosophy of Law and Judgement
Virtuous people are stronger than those who are disloyal and their actions are more profound. Justice, Truth, and Peace maintain societies (Plato relationship). Shepherds are for cattle and cattle are not for ...
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Chapter
XIII: Life Is Sorrow, But Wisdom Is Useful
Sorrow is our normal way of living, and suffering is common. Powerful people are disregarded, the rich are envied, and they fight against them. To live in virtue is to live openly, all can know that acting wit...
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Chapter
XV: Pleasures, Newness and Morals
Every pleasure has limits, but we continue our research, looking for something new. Humankind needs new knowledge and new things. The spiritual pleasure is most important and always grows, whereas physical ple...
