Description
The materials consist
of correspondence, research files and teaching materials, and texts of the Nicomachean
Ethics that have been collected in Greek, Arabic, Hebrew and Latin. Also included is his
1959 Ph.D. thesis "Ibn Bajjah and Maimonides: A Chapter in the History of Political
Philosophy" (in Hebrew with English summary).
Background
Lawrence B. Berman was the first Stanford University professor to specialize in Jewish
Studies. After earning undergraduate degrees at the College of Jewish Studies in Chicago and
the University of Chicago, he did graduate work at Brandeis University (M.A. 1954) and the
Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Ph.D. 1960). He joined the Stanford faculty in 1967.
Berman's particular interest was the effect of the translation of Aristotle's Nicomachean
Ethics on the transmittal of its philosophical concepts. He taught courses in both Judaism
and Islam, and at the time of his death in 1988 was developing a course on the Abrahamic
tradition, attempting to compare the Jewish tradition with Christianity and Islam.
Restrictions
While University Archives is the owner of the physical and/or digital items, permission to
examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made
available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction
beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or
assigns.
Availability
Materials are open for research use. Audio-visual materials are not available in original
format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy.