Mirna Funk is one of the best-known Jewish voices in Germany. The Berlin native studied history and philosophy at Berlin's Humboldt University and published her first, much-discussed novel "Near Winter" in 2015. In her current book “Learning from Jews,” Funk attempts to connect the history of Jewish thought with current debates and conflicts – sometimes with surprising results.
The author, journalist and philosopher Mirna Funk
Photo: Bella Lieberberg
In the “Moreno+1” podcast, host Juan Moreno talks to Funk about some of the theories she presents. The ethical principle “tikkun olam,” for example, i.e. the duty to improve the world, certainly results in an activist attitude, but, according to Funk, it does not strive for an unattainable utopia. At the same time, “Machloket,” the Hebrew word for “arguableness,” stands for a deeply rooted tolerance of differing opinions.
»The basic thesis of my book is that, due to the anti-ideological and anti-missionary character of Judaism, the answers to the most relevant questions of today can be found there. Anyone who divides the world into oppressed and oppressors, good and evil, people and monsters has lost," says Funk.
Listen to the full episode now.