My approach to Torah mainly depends on the idea of Kant and Schopenhauer of the Ding An Sich. That is an area of value in which pure reason [un -derived from experience ] can not enter.
That is to say that there is an area of objective morality that is not dependent on the observer. That is to say,-- that even though this world is radically subjective [The electron has no value, spin or otherwise, until measured.] that does not bear on objective morality. Objective morality is rules --universals. Those are objective.]
Thus I look at any person doing an act that is objective good and moral as a good person. So I look on Torah as revealing morality, not as creating morality. This is very much along the lines of the Rambam that has two levels. First Natural Law as revealed to Abraham and then later to the Ancient Greeks. Then the Law revealed at Mount Sinai.--That is a higher degree of Revelation.
But that also means that I do not negate all spiritual experiences at all. Rather I believe that sometimes God can inspire a person in unforeseen ways in unforeseen paths. Prophecy and the Divine Spirit do not have to follow human ideas of what is proper. Just the opposite. However as I wrote in the last few essays, most of spiritual experiences are from the wrong side of things. Still there are such things that are real and from God.
That is to say that there is an area of objective morality that is not dependent on the observer. That is to say,-- that even though this world is radically subjective [The electron has no value, spin or otherwise, until measured.] that does not bear on objective morality. Objective morality is rules --universals. Those are objective.]
Thus I look at any person doing an act that is objective good and moral as a good person. So I look on Torah as revealing morality, not as creating morality. This is very much along the lines of the Rambam that has two levels. First Natural Law as revealed to Abraham and then later to the Ancient Greeks. Then the Law revealed at Mount Sinai.--That is a higher degree of Revelation.
But that also means that I do not negate all spiritual experiences at all. Rather I believe that sometimes God can inspire a person in unforeseen ways in unforeseen paths. Prophecy and the Divine Spirit do not have to follow human ideas of what is proper. Just the opposite. However as I wrote in the last few essays, most of spiritual experiences are from the wrong side of things. Still there are such things that are real and from God.
