Baruch Spinoza

Author profile

born

November 24, 1632 in Amsterdam, Netherlands

died

February 21, 1677

gender

male

website

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/spinoza

genre

Philosophy, Science

influences

Hobbes, Descartes, Stoics, Avicenna, Maimonides, Nicholas of Cusa, Ari...more

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"Baruch or Benedict de Spinoza (Portuguese: Bento de Espinosa, Latin: Benedictus de Spinoza) (November 24, 1632 – February 21, 1677) was a Dutch philosopher of Portuguese Jewish origin. Revealing considerable scientific aptitude, the breadth and importance of Spinoza's work was not fully realized until years after his death. Today, he is considered one of the great rationalists of 17th-century philosophy, laying the groundwork for the 18th century Enlightenment and modern biblical criticism. By virtue of his magnum opus, the posthumous Ethics, in which he opposed Descartes' mind–body dualism, Spinoza is considered to be one of Western philosophy's most important philosophers. Philosopher and historian Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel said of a...more "Baruch or Benedict de Spinoza (Portuguese: Bento de Espinosa, Latin: Benedictus de Spinoza) (November 24, 1632 – February 21, 1677) was a Dutch philosopher of Portuguese Jewish origin. Revealing considerable scientific aptitude, the breadth and importance of Spinoza's work was not fully realized until years after his death. Today, he is considered one of the great rationalists of 17th-century philosophy, laying the groundwork for the 18th century Enlightenment and modern biblical criticism. By virtue of his magnum opus, the posthumous Ethics, in which he opposed Descartes' mind–body dualism, Spinoza is considered to be one of Western philosophy's most important philosophers. Philosopher and historian Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel said of all modern philosophers, "You are either a Spinozist or not a philosopher at all." All of Spinoza's works were listed on the Index Librorum Prohibitorum (List of Prohibited Books) by the Roman Catholic Church.

Spinoza lived quietly as a lens grinder, turning down rewards and honors throughout his life, including prestigious teaching positions, and gave his family inheritance to his sister. Spinoza's moral character and philosophical accomplishments prompted 20th century philosopher Gilles Deleuze to name him "the 'prince' of philosophers." Spinoza died at the age of 44 of a lung illness, perhaps tuberculosis or silicosis exacerbated by fine glass dust inhaled while tending to his trade."

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baruch_...

"Baruch (or Benedictus) Spinoza is one of the most important philosophers—and certainly the most radical—of the early modern period. His thought combines a commitment to Cartesian metaphysical and epistemological principles with elements from ancient Stoicism and medieval Jewish rationalism into a nonetheless highly original system. His extremely naturalistic views on God, the world, the human being and knowledge serve to ground a moral philosophy centered on the control of the passions leading to virtue and happiness. They also lay the foundations for a strongly democratic political thought and a deep critique of the pretensions of Scripture and sectarian religion. Of all the philosophers of the seventeenth-century, perhaps none have more relevance today than Spinoza."

-http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/sp...

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Books by Baruch Spinoza

Average rating: 3.98 · 5,723 ratings · 289 reviews · 98 distinct works

	Ethics by Baruch Spinoza, Edwin M. Curley (Translator), Stuart Hampshire (Introduction) 3.95 avg rating — 1,841 ratings — published 1677 — 91 editions	My rating:
	Theological-Political Treatise by Baruch Spinoza, Seymour Feldman (Introduction), Samuel Shirley (Translator) 3.92 avg rating — 420 ratings — published 1944 — 49 editions	My rating:
	The Ethics/Treatise on the Emendation of the Intellect/Selected Letters by Baruch Spinoza, Seymour Feldman, Samuel Shirley (Translator) 4.08 avg rating — 187 ratings — published 1955 — 11 editions	My rating:
	Works of Spinoza: On the Improvement of the Human Understanding. The Ethics. Selected Letters. (Volume II) by Baruch Spinoza, Benedict de Spinoza 4.15 avg rating — 33 ratings — 6 editions	My rating:
	On the Improvement of the Understanding 3.87 avg rating — 23 ratings — published 1956 — 26 editions	My rating:
	Ethics/On the Improvement of the Understanding by Baruch Spinoza, R.H.M. Elwes (Translator), Heidi Ravven (Introduction) 4.20 avg rating — 15 ratings — published 1677 — 11 editions	My rating:
	Political Treatise by Baruch Spinoza, Samuel Shirley (Translator) 3.50 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 1937 — 10 editions	My rating:
	The Letters 3.22 avg rating — 9 ratings — published 1995 — 4 editions	My rating:
	The Essential Spinoza: Ethics and Related Writings by Benedictus de Spinoza, Michael L. Morgan (Editor), Samuel Shirley (Translator) 4.23 avg rating — 30 ratings — published 2006 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Spinoza's Short Treatise on God, Man 4.33 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2009 — 3 editions	My rating:

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Quotes by Baruch Spinoza

“I do not know how to teach philosophy without becoming a disturber of the peace.”
― Baruch Spinoza

tags: philosophy

60 people liked it

“The highest activity a human being can attain is learning for understanding, because to understand is to be free.”
― Baruch Spinoza

tags: education , free-thought , philosophy

44 people liked it

“No matter how thin you slice it, there will always be two sides.”
― Baruch Spinoza

tags: disputes

30 people liked it

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Baruch Spinoza

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