Stone Lecture to explore Judaism and science

Dr. Tamar Rudavsky will give the 2018 Stone Lecture in Judaism at Augustana, "Judaism and Science: Tensions and Accommodations," at 2 p.m. Nov. 18 in Centennial Hall.

Her talk will explore whether there is a tension between the basic tenets of Jewish thought and science.

"Jewish philosophers have struggled with this question for centuries, from the early millennium up to contemporary thinkers," she said. "We will explore some of the class struggles and consider possible accommodations."

Dr. Rudavsky is professor of philosophy at Ohio State University where she is also director of the Melton Center for Jewish Studies. A specialist in medieval Jewish philosophy, she has edited three volumes on the topic, including a co-editorship of the "Cambridge History of Jewish Philosophy: From Antiquity through the Seventeenth Century."

Her most recent work, published as part of the Oxford History of Philosophy series, is "Jewish Philosophy in the Middle Ages: Science, Rationalism, and Religion." In it, she presents Jewish philosophy during its great period of development and explores the interactions between Jewish, Islamic, and Christian thought.

Her lecture is sponsored by Augustana's Center for the Study of Judaism and Jewish Culture. The Stone Lectureship was established in 1983 by family and friends of Dr. and Mrs. Alex B. Stone. The purpose of the endowment is to provide a yearly lecture and an expanded program in Judaic studies at Augustana.