IBN DAUD, Abraham

Abraham ben David ha-Levi Ibn Daud was probably the first Jewish Aristotelian philosopher. He claimed that any legitimate philosophical claims were already known in Torah and Jewish tradition (eg in Psalm 139). Similarly, he remarked that Christians and Muslims already acknowledged the Torah, so it is their religious teachings which are in contention and in need of as yet unproven justification. He challenged the beliefs of Karaite Jews who rejected any post-biblical developments as fundamentalist. Living in free response to the commandments is the way to justice for all. It is possible that he was martyred in Toledo in anti-Jewish riots. 

Life

• Jewish Encyclopedia entry on Ibn Daud

• Ibn Daud's life and work from the Jewish Virtual Library

• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on Ibn Daud