Moses ben Maimon, known to English speaking audiences as Maimonides (1138-1204), represents the high point of Jewish rationalism in the middle ages and played a pivotal role in the transition of philosophical interest from the Islamic East to the Christian West. His greatest philosophical work, The Guide of the Perplexed had a decisive impact on all subsequent Jewish thought and is still the subject of intense scholarly debate. The twelve essays in this volume by recognized scholars offer a comprehensive interpretation of his life and thought.