Rethinking Ethics in the Light of Jewish Thought and the Life Sciences

Judaism in the twentieth century began to return to its scriptural, communal roots after a centuries‐long detour through Greek‐influenced natural philosophy, a detour during which science and ethics were assumed to be partners and Jewish ethics drew heavily on natural philosophy and science. Twentieth‐century philosophical ethics and science, particularly biological science, have developed in such a way as to make any continuation of that historical partnership problematic. This is not altogether regrettable because the problematizing of this long‐standing partnership has driven Jewish ethics back to its real roots: covenantal relationship, and moral wisdom and discernment.