I have come across many people who believe that it is inappropriate to learn Moreh Nevuchim especially at a younger inexperienced age. However, it seems that many important issues are discussed in the MN and it is quoted throughout many more popularly learned seforim.
What are the arguments for or against learning Rambam's Moreh Nevuchim?
Answer
My arguments for learning Moreh Nevuhim:
Many issues regarding proper approach to understanding the language of the Torah are clarified, thereby removing the stumblimg blocks that result from being over-literalist in translation of the Torah.
Many universally accepted (amongst current Orthodoxy) fundementals are spelled out with a clarity that guides one to be able to look at Tanach, Midrashim, and Miforshim and not reach philosophically erroneous conclusions.
In an age when children are being overfed or underfed (depending on the background) the more "magical" sounding midrashim, the Moreh helps us get an understanding of what true depth is and how to balance the miraculous vs. Divine Providence.
My arguments against learning it are:
Many people are agenda driven and use the Moreh to confirm their agendas.
Most people tend not to read his introduction nor heed his instructions. This leads to all sorts of problems.
One must be brutally honest with himself regarding what he understands and what he doesn't in order to walk away with Rambam's true intent and not walk away with erroneous conclusions. Most people are not this honest with themselves.
Most people today do not have enough of a background in Hazal and in the classical philosophers to really grasp the more complex philosophical issues that Rambam addresses.
Most people do not read and understand the classical Arabic original and except for one translation all the others never received Rambam's approbation. The one that did is extremely difficult to comprehend due to the new terms the translator was required to invent in order to convey the ideas in Hebrew. So there is a great risk of not getting what Rambam really meant.
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