You speak of “intellectual Darwinism,” in terms of Darwinism being an accepted truth. While I acknowledge that Darwinism is promoted as factual and beyond question, it is still a theory since it has never been proven. To date there is no clear, unassailable link between animals and humans.

The biblical account of Creation is far easier to embrace, since I believe in the existence of God, than the sheer chance involved in a Darwinian worldview. Intelligent design is a superior worldview to my way of thinking.

Thank you for contributing to the conversation – it is, for me, a fascinating one.

I don’t know if I believe all of that but thought it was interesting enough to consider in this discussion.
Not sure if I believe it but if true it would mean that studying talmud is a waste unless you find it interesting for its own sake. I have a feeling that if true another form of intellectual Darwinism is happening in the general population now. The world in general is becoming a place where only the very highly educated can prosper. Intellectually successful people tend to marry others like them. And perhaps this explains why IQ is on average getting higher in western nations.
Just some food for thought.

I agree with you in seeing the “intellectual rigour and equally, intellectual curiosity” as resulting from the disciplined study and close reading of texts such as the Talmud, rather than the actual content of the Talmud.

I think you make a valid point.

Among religious Jews there is a great emphasis put upon Talmud study, and that has sigificant impact on the intellectual development of individuals. For the past 8 years I have been extensively involved with the Jewish community, and quite often with religiously observant Jews who would be involved in disciplined Talmud study.

But as you note, many (maybe most) Jewish scientists, philosophers, et. al. are secular, non practicing Jews. And they also place high priority on intellectual pursuit, which would, of course, result in significant intellectual prowess.

Between the secular and the religious Jew, the common theme is devotion to study of whatever interests them – the point you make.

As an evangelical pastor (non-Jewish), and as one who has devoted a life-time to biblical, theological study of the Bible, I have more than a passing interest in the history of the Jewish people. While every ethnic group has those who excel, it is noteworthy that a high proportion of intellectual leaders in our world come from the Jewish community.

Thank you for reading and commenting on my post.

If you look at the biography of these jewish scientists, you notice that a significant many of them are no practicing jews. They could not have study the talmud! My explanation is the following. The talmud becomes not just the certain of a religious jew, and but the secular jew as well ! When a jew child see his elder, and community study long hours, and value of the community is focus on intellectual pursuit, then it is not surprise they would devote themselves to study whatever that interest them.

There are many Christians who view the Jewish people as superior to others, but that is not what I do, nor was that my point in the review.

It is a fact that, given the worldwide Jewish population (around 15,000,000), a disporportionate number of Nobel Peace Prize winners turn out to be Jewish.

They are not instrinsically superior, but a very large number of them are very bright. Some believe this is the result of the discipline of study & reasoning that comes from years of work in learning Talmud.

Thanks for reading my blog, and for taking time to comment.

David