Schwartz (humanities, Bar-Ilan U.) employs historical and cultural methods and manuscript material to present new perspectives and insight into the dynamics of philosophical speculation, particularly during the late Middle Ages. He covers God, teleology, the intellect, miracles, polemics, estotericism, and circles. In an epilogue, he investigates whether it is possible to write a history of Jewish thought. The chapters have been revised, and in some cases translated, from articles published during the 1990s and 2000s. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)