The great medieval Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides was also a practicing physician who contributed a number of important works to medical literature. Modern students of these treatises have made extravagant claims about Maimonides' scientific outlook and have attributed to him important discoveries and innovations. Viewed in its historical and religious content, Maimonides' medical work appears more explanatory than exploratory, though still of considerable interest to students of both the philosophy of science and the history of medicine.