Harvey Mitchell's book argues that a reassessment of Voltaire's treatment of traditional Judaism will sharpen discussion of the origins of, and responses to, the Enlightenment. His study shows how Voltaire's nearly total antipathy to Judaism is best understood by stressing his self-regard as the author of an enlightened and rational universal history, which found Judaism's memory of its past incoherent, and, in addition, failed to meet the criteria of objective history-a project in which he failed.

Calling on an array of Jewish and non-Jewish figures to reveal how modern interpretations of Judaism may be traced to the core ideas of the Enlightenment, this book concludes that Voltaire paradoxically helped to foster the ambiguities and uncertainties of Judaism's future.

About the Author

Harvey Mitchell is Emeritus Professor of History at the University of British Columbia, Canada

Reviews

"Mitchell masterfully critiques published work from early modern Europe to date... An excellent addition to Routledge's Jewish Studies series. Summing up: Highly recommended." -- Choice

'Mitchell masterfully critiques published work from early modern Europe to date. He makes a good case for ranking Spinoza as a premier Enlightenment thinker, and for revising textbooks to include Dutch Jewish economist Isaac de Pinto.]...[An excellent addition to Routledge's Jewish Studies series. Highly recommended.' - Choice, July 2009

Book Information
ISBN 9781138789265
Author Harvey Mitchell
Format Paperback
Page Count 292
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 362g