[Avodah] Rambam's naturalism

[David Riceman]

Micha Berger wrote:
> I do not see in this discussion where he attacks hashgachah in general.
> After all, the 8th pereq is about bechirah; and his only mention of
> hashgachah is in contrast to bechirah. The question of HP (including
> sechar va'onesh) vs hashgachah kelalis (including the Divine Wisdom
> expressed in nature) is outside the discussion.
>   
I'm not sure whether (a) this comment is germane, or (b) whether 
someone's already mentioned it, but I think it's appropriate:

As far as I know, there are two models which describe God running each 
detail of the world.  One is the model the Rambam attributes to the 
Kalam, which is that each thing that happens in an individual expression 
of God's will.  Rabbi Dessler likes this view, but I don't recall having 
seen it in any Rishon (though I've never seen a copy of Sefer Ktav Tamim 
by R. Moshe Taqqu).  The other is the model of the world as a clockwork 
mechanism, which I think is due to Descartes, and certainly was 
advocated by no Rishon (I don't know whether it remains tenable after 
quantum mechanics).

Consequently all Rishonim accept that randomness exists in this world 
(see Ramban's commentary on Iyov 36:7 and see Kuzari 5:20).  That's why 
(or at least the first paragraph of why) many Rishonim held that 
hashgaha over animals extends only to species.  That's also how the 
Raavad (in H. Tshuva 5:5) can distinguish between Divine knowledge and 
Divine causation (cf. KLaH Pithchei Hochmah #28).

Unfortunately "mikreh" ("accident") is a technical term with two 
meanings, and often the meaning "random" gets drowned out by the more 
prevalent meaning (the opposite of "essence").

David Riceman