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    WHY 18
    Forty

    The year 1840 was a turning point: the Industrial Revolution peaked, the Damascus Affair sparked Jewish unity, and modernity opened new paths for enlightenment. Mystics called it the moment that “the gates of wisdom would open.” For us, 1840 is a symbol of how global upheaval can lead to a reimagined world. Today, we face another “1840 moment”—troubled by tech disruption, mental health crises, and declining faith—that calls for bold questions, timeless sensitivity, and modern sensibilities. That’s what 18Forty is here to explore.

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Steven Gotlib

Steven Gotlib

  • Artificial Intelligence

    AI Knows You Better Than You Think. That’s a Problem

    Artificial intelligence has become our modern psychic-in-a-box—and that should give us pause.
  • Why We Do Jewish Philosophy

    We ought to expand our libraries and our curiosity, and bravely face our questions—and then put our faith in reason.
  • Is Religion Rational?

    Is Judaism Fundamentally Zionist?

    God promised the Land of Israel to the Jewish People, so why are some rabbis anti-Zionists?
  • Denominations

    Should Judaism Be Orthodox, Post-Denominational, or Something Else?

    The Lubavitcher Rebbe maintained that “labels are for shirts.” Does that make different Jewish theologies and practices a free-for-all?
  • Does Revelation Satisfy the ‘Why Be Jewish’ Question?

    Judaism needs to be more than a lifestyle choice—it needs to be a conviction.
  • Is Religion Rational?

    (What) Do Jews Believe About the Afterlife?

    Christianity’s focus on the afterlife historically discouraged Jews from discussing it—but Jews very much believe in it.
  • Is Religion Rational?

    Do We Know Why God Allows Evil and Suffering?

    What are Jews to say when facing “atheism’s killer argument”?
  • 3 Arguments for God’s Existence

    Perhaps the most fundamental question any religious believer can ask is: “Does God exist?” It’s time we find good answers.
  • Is Religion Rational?

    What Makes Beliefs Rational?

    When can we take belief in God for granted? And does that make us irrational?
  • Is Religion Rational?

    Why Jews Need to Have Faith in Reason

    Without logic and reason, faith is bound to crumble. That’s exactly what happened to me.
  • Prayer & Humanity

    Toward a Jewish Theology of Consciousness

    The mystery of consciousness has long vexed philosophers and scientists alike. Can God be the answer?

DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY AND LEGACY OF PHILIP EICHEN, EPHRAIM FISHEL BEN MORDECHAI Z”L AND ROSLYN EICHEN, RAZEL BAT GERSHON, Z”L

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