Spinoza: A Life
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Retrieved 2 May Nadler puts his thinking in the perspective of the time. He reduces this message to a simple set of propositions that any rational person could determine for himself: Spinoza lived an outwardly simple life as an optical lens grinder, collaborating on microscope and telescope lens designs with Constantijn and Christiaan Huygens. It will give you a sense of Portuguese Marrano families and what they went through. Return to Book Page. In , he returned briefly to Amsterdam, where he finished and published Descartes' "Principles of Philosophy," the only work published in his lifetime under his own name, and then moved the same year to Voorburg.
Without cookies your experience may not be seamless. An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies. A Life review Willi Goetschel Shofar: In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content: Project MUSE Mission Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. Contact Contact Us Help. Such studies are legion and there still is much to say and learn. Also, the book doesn't discuss the reception and influence of Spinoza through the years.
Again, this is beyond the scope of the book. The book is an excellent biography of a seminal figure in Western philosophy.
Shofar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies
I came away from the book with a increased understanding of and appreciation for Spinoza's life and thought. Jan 03, Lauren Albert rated it liked it Shelves: That lasted about a day. His theory was that if you don't understand something, you keep reading and eventually it will all come clear to you. My theory is that if you don't understand page 1, you'll never understand page 2.
Since I could never quite get page 1 metaphorically speaking , I was never ever going to move on to page 2. That just doesn't work for a reading group, even a two-person group. So I entered this book with trepidation. Thankfully, right at the beginning, Nadler says that he is not making an effort to teach Spinoza's philosophy whew! So except for a brief section later on, which I of course ran my eyes over, it was not a very difficult book. Nadler does discuss the larger issues that were controversial and so he does deal somewhat with Spinoza's philosophy.
But it does seem that since so many of the people who attacked him didn't really understand his philosophy either, I was pretty safe. It was a relatively abstract biography--in the sense of dealing with Spinoza's beliefs more than his life. But it could be because of the great destruction of his correspondence after his decease which Nadler mentions. I didn't get a good feel for Spinoza as a person except for his open-mindedness towards others. Feb 20, K rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: People with a serious interest in the history surrounding Spinoza. I've already started reading Rebecca Goldstein's for comparison purposes , which is reinforcing my belief that it's a cliche, or should be, that a Jew of Orthodox background who fancies himself a free thinker will be drawn to the mystique surrounding this philosopher.
Really, who wouldn't be? At age 23, Baruch Spinoza, born and raised in the Orthodox Jewish community of 17th century Amsterdam, yeshiva-educated, is excommunicated and cursed by his community for unknown deeds, in one of the mos I've already started reading Rebecca Goldstein's for comparison purposes , which is reinforcing my belief that it's a cliche, or should be, that a Jew of Orthodox background who fancies himself a free thinker will be drawn to the mystique surrounding this philosopher.
At age 23, Baruch Spinoza, born and raised in the Orthodox Jewish community of 17th century Amsterdam, yeshiva-educated, is excommunicated and cursed by his community for unknown deeds, in one of the most vituperative extant Jewish excommunication documents. Spinoza, apparently without a backward glance, leaves his family and his familiar world and goes on to become a great and highly controversial philosopher, shaking contemporary dogma and remaining iconoclastic to the end. But if what you're hoping for is a juicy look at Spinoza's inner life, the pathos he and those around him must have experienced before, during, and after his excommunication, his final good-bye with his family, or inner conflicts and regrets on both sides, this is not the book.
Steven Nadler is way too responsible a historian for that. He gives you details -- lots of them -- and offers tight, well-supported arguments to buttress his conclusions, but he restricts those conclusions to areas where information is available. And we apparently know very little about Spinoza's personal life or inner feelings, particularly around the time of his excommunication.
This book will give you a feel for 17th century Amsterdam -- its politics, its intellectual ferment, its Jewish and Christian communities. It will give you a sense of Portuguese Marrano families and what they went through. It will tell you about the ideological controversies of the times, and how Spinoza both contributed to these controversies and was affected by them.
It will try not entirely successfully, in my case to give you a distilled understanding of Spinoza's philosophy and writings.
Spinoza: A Life [Steven Nadler] on www.farmersmarketmusic.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Baruch Spinoza () was one of the most important philosophers . Spinoza - A Life [Steven Nadler] on www.farmersmarketmusic.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.
It's an educational and worthwhile read, and an admirable feat. What it won't give you is "Spinoza: The Drama," which would certainly be a more exciting, if highly speculative read. It was an effort, but I'm not sorry I pushed my way through.
- Spinoza, part 1: Philosophy as a way of life.
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- Spinoza a Life.
I learned a lot. View all 22 comments. Jun 11, Owlseyes marked it as to-read Shelves: Jul 24, Tamara Jaffe-Notier rated it it was amazing. This detailed analysis of the life and times of Spinoza is so thoroughly enjoyable that I bought the book and am re-reading it as we hike through Germany, Belgium, and Holland. Apr 07, Macdonagh rated it it was amazing. One thing to note: Nadler goes into Spinoza's background three or four times removed, if my memory serves me accurately. For Spinoza and the period and place in which he lived and wrote, this background is well worth the effort.
It will put a great deal of what follows into perspective. Spinoza was an avid letter writer. Nadler draws on this fortunate fact. As the story unfolds S An excellent biography. As the story unfolds Spinoza as a person begins to materialize and one feels as if he knows this man who was brilliant, courageous, simple and entirely focused on finding truth.
Nevertheless, he was equally dedicated to treated people kindly and patiently even when they did not agree with him, and he lived in a society which, for the most part did not. I have long admired Spinoza as a seeker after truth and as a warm and caring human being. If we were contemporaries, I would be his friend even though I cannot agree with his world view.
I believe that we would be able to have many a profitable conversation. I wish there were more Christian thinkers like him. Conoscevo l'opera di Spinoza, ma nulla della sua vita. Questo libro racconta tutto quello che si sa per certo e fa poche, ma solide ipotesi su quello che non si sa.
Sep 26, Chanii rated it liked it. The book was tedious but informative too. I mean if someone's gonna throw a thousand new names and concepts at you and even if only one percent sticks , you still would have learned something. So I can't say I regret bearing through it. Jul 24, Patrick rated it really liked it. Mooie biografie waarbij je een inkijkje krijgt in de Joodse gemeenschap in de 17e eeuw. Dit maakt me hongerig naar de Ethica.
Het meest boeiende vind ik de harde spinozistiche definities over God. Sep 26, Neil rated it it was amazing Shelves: If you want to understand a philosopher's philosophy, learn about his life. Everything falls into place quickly and clearly if you do. In his biography of Spinoza, Steven Nadler gives as complete a picture of who Spinoza was and how his personality and character informed the depth of his philosophy as anyone could. He begins where it is most difficult, delving into his background and that of his family and ancestors.
Such a feat is not easy and in Spinoza's case it is indispensable. If you are a If you want to understand a philosopher's philosophy, learn about his life. If you are attracted to Spinoza's thought and wisdom, reading his biography is a must.
Benedict de Spinoza
Biografia "allargata" del massimo filosofo secentesco, vero prodromo dei liberi pensatori, figlio di Cartesi e suo superatore. Aug 21, Marcello rated it it was amazing Shelves: A compelling story of the exteriorly monotonous life of the great Danish philosopher. Nov 13, Alessandro Veneri rated it really liked it.
The biography traces all Spinoza's relationships, among which stands out his correspondence with Oldenburg, and the Amsterdam's circle of "Spinoza's friends"; I found touching the reported meetings of Spinoza with Leibniz. The biographical aim of the book may suggest that not much of Spinoza's philosophy could be found here; however, given how much any philosopher's thought is shaped by historical contingencies, and given Nadler's effort to report historical facts at length, it is not surprising that the basic concepts of Spinoza's philosophy are here covered.
Particular emphasis has been given to the contents of the Theological-political Treatise, while the Ethics has been left on the background. Dec 29, Jw van Eck rated it really liked it. Spinozo lived in really interesting times. Holland just one nation, well kind of, and lots of really friendly nations around us. And those ideas about God, reason and religion caused quite an uproar. What he did write, was soon forbidding by the Dutch courts and most of it was published after he died.
At least a bit safer life for critical thinkers Spinozo lived in really interesting times. At least a bit safer life for critical thinkers in not so tolerant Holland, then. But Spinoza was all about tolerance, democracy, freedom of thinking and religion. Nadler puts his thinking in the perspective of the time.
Very worthwhile to read.