  Ibn Daud’s book consists of an introduction and three parts of unequal length. In the introduction, Ibn Daud states that the problem of free will, which prompted him to write his book, can only be solved after the preparatory philosophical study of a variety of issues in the field of physics and metaphysics. In what may be called a “table of contents”, he specifies the various topics to be discussed in his book in his introduction; topics with which the beginning student must become familiar. The first part (Weil 1852, 4–43) deals with the basic principles of (Aristotelian) physics and metaphysics. It opens with a logical section that treats substance and the categories (I.1). This is followed by discussions on matter, form and the elements (I.2), motion and infinity (I.3–5), the soul (I.6–7) and the heavenly spheres (I.8).  According to Ibn Daud, this constitutes the minimum requirements for an investigation of the Jewish religion. The “principles of religion” provide the subject matter for the second part (Weil 1852, 44–98). Here Ibn Daud is concerned with God’s existence and unity (II.1–2), divine attributes (II.3), cosmology and the heavenly intelligences (II.4), prophecy and the defense of Mosaic Law (II.5), and, finally, angelology and the problem of free will (II.6). The third and final part (Weil 1852, 98–104), deals with ethics. In this work, Ibn Daud thus offers a comprehensive survey of the contemporary philosophical debate. Due to the variety of topics covered, the book has been characterized as a compendium or a “philosophical encyclopedia in miniature” (Arfa 1954, 2).