Joseph ben Judah ibn Aknin

His Arabic text, from around 1180, describes the education of a young Jew, from traditional sources to Greek philosophy.

A text by Joseph ben Judah ibn Aknin, written in Arabic around 1180, lays out a plan of study to age 20 that begins with traditional Jewish sources and climbs to Greek philosophy and science: reading and writing; Pentateuch, Prophets and Writings with attention to vocalization, then the Mishnah up to age ten and Hebrew grammar; Talmud from fifteen, with deeper understanding and independent thought at eighteen; religious poetry and verse of beauty.1 Only once the Talmud was firmly absorbed came philosophical observations on religion (refuting the errors of apostates and heretics) and then philosophy, in three groups (mathematical sciences, natural sciences and metaphysics), all preceded by logic, which serves as an instrument and keeps the mental powers in order.2