Jewish Philosophy Distance Learning

Jewish philosophy distance learning courses are attracting more and more enrolments these days. The reasons for this are not difficult to recognize. Jews have a composite culture in which religion and philosophy are entwined seamlessly into the social fabric of life.

Philosophy by distance learning

Study of philosophy involves drawing conclusions on issues by applying the principles of logic. Thus, philosophy is concerned with analysis of a given stream of knowledge in the light of empirical reasoning. Philosophy demands critical thinking abilities to pursue a line of thought based on solid premises. Therefore, students of philosophy are expected to have a good knowledge of the history of the development of thought.

Jewish philosophy is interesting to study because it has assimilated influences from several systems. It follows an intellectual approach to studying the impact of religion and the development of a social code of conduct for the Jews. Jews have had a checkered history of facing social wrath, exodus and revival.

The remarkable resilience shown by the Jewish people is derived from their unique philosophy, which marries a pragmatic religious code with accepted norms of interpersonal transactions. There is an ongoing debate about which is superior - Judaism, Christianity or Islam, as they share common roots but different perceptions.

There has been a tradition of oral instruction in the study of Jewish philosophy. However, Jewish philosophy distance learning programs are gaining momentum. This could be attributed to two reasons; more and more Jews are getting interested in studying their system of philosophy either as a means to internalizing their unique identity or for comparative analysis with other systems.

Non-Jews pursuing Jewish philosophy distance learning courses have also increased considerably. They bring their own experiences and enrich their vocabulary with the assimilation of influences from Jewish philosophy. One need not subscribe to a specific religion or godhead, as Jewish philosophy is not dogmatic or cowed down by the weight of religious traditions.

Approaches to distance learning

Jewish education has always been disseminated through informal channels like bible schools, workshops, synagogues etc. Therefore, tailoring Jewish philosophy distance learning courses involves preparation and delivery of appropriate content and resource materials followed up by discussion and debate.

As much of philosophy is developed only through scholarly interaction, there is a need for committed educators who would bring the philosophical perspective to the technology-enabled learner of today. He should be patient in guiding the student on his voyage of discovery. The learner, for his part, has to approach his study with dedication and motivation.

Some of the institutions offering Jewish philosophy distance learning courses are Hebrew College, JUICE, Chicago Board of Jewish Education and Open University of Israel.

The study of Jewish philosophy could be a good starting point for serious religious enquiry. The beauty of the system lies in its academic orientation and adaptability to various other streams of religious discourse.

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