Purity and Pollution in the Hebrew Bible: From Embodied Experience to Moral Metaphor

Yitzhaq Feder's book explores pollution in ancient Israel, comparing it to other ancient and modern cultures and suggesting a path of synthesis between biology and culture.

Format: Hardback
Length: 350 pages
Publication date: 18 November 2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

In his groundbreaking book, Yitzhaq Feder delves into a comprehensive exploration of pollution in ancient Israel, tracing its evolution from a physiological concept to a pervasive metaphor in social-moral discourse. Feder's primary objective is to establish a meaningful dialogue between biblical and ancient Near Eastern evidence and anthropological and psychological research, comparing them to notions of contagion in other ancient and modern cultural contexts. By highlighting the complexities arising from imposing modern ideas on ancient texts, he guides readers through a rich tapestry of parallels, drawing from biblical attitudes in ancient Near Eastern, ethnographic, and modern cultures. Feder also showcases how contemporary evolutionary and psychological research can be applied to ancient textual evidence, offering a path toward a more nuanced understanding of human behavior. Through his insightful synthesis, he seeks to transcend the polarized positions prevalent in modern academic and popular debates regarding the roles of biology and culture in shaping human behavior.

In his groundbreaking book, Yitzhaq Feder delves into a comprehensive exploration of pollution in ancient Israel, tracing its evolution from a physiological concept to a pervasive metaphor in social-moral discourse. Feder's primary objective is to establish a meaningful dialogue between biblical and ancient Near Eastern evidence and anthropological and psychological research, comparing them to notions of contagion in other ancient and modern cultural contexts. By highlighting the complexities arising from imposing modern ideas on ancient texts, he guides readers through a rich tapestry of parallels, drawing from biblical attitudes in ancient Near Eastern, ethnographic, and modern cultures. Feder also showcases how contemporary evolutionary and psychological research can be applied to ancient textual evidence, offering a path toward a more nuanced understanding of human behavior. Through his insightful synthesis, he seeks to transcend the polarized positions prevalent in modern academic and popular debates regarding the roles of biology and culture in shaping human behavior.

Weight: 648g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781316517574