  This emphasis on religious practice in the last part of ER is consistent with Ibn Daud’s statement in his introduction that the goal of study is practical philosophy (ER W 4. S 8b). While the bulk of the book is concerned with philosophical speculation, by the end of it practical philosophy comes to occupy center stage. This shift from philosophical speculation to religious praxis gains extra significance against the background of Judah Halevi’s attack on the philosophical worldview in Kuzari I.1. According to Halevi, for the philosophers the highest good is conjunction with the Active Intellect. Once man has attained this degree, it does not matter which religion or which kind of divine worship he adopts. Although Ibn Daud does not mention Halevi by name, it is clear that he was familiar with and used his work. In fact, his work can be seen as a direct response to Halevi. Whereas Halevi regards philosophy as a threat to religion, for Ibn Daud it is indispensable for it, since the study of philosophy induces man to accept religious commandments, including those whose rationale is obscure. Therefore, despite the extensive theoretical discussions, ER as a whole can be seen as a work of practical philosophy. Moreover, one may argue that the book is a defense of philosophy as much as it is a defense of religion.