Spinoza’s Life:
Spinoza’s Life Born in 1632 in Portugal Family immigrated to Amsterdam Went to Talmud Torah School Religious school deemed necessary to become an educated Jew Did not go on in schooling Had to leave to take over families importing business
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He had unorthodox views that pushed the laws of the Jewish faith In 1656 the elders of the synagogue took proceedings to excommunicated him Accused him of abominable heresies and monstrous deeds Made is illegal to talk to him, read anything he wrote, and come within close proximity of him.
Spinoza’s Works:
Spinoza’s Works Treatise on the Emendation of the Intellect An essay on philosophical method Short Treatise on God, Man and His Well-Being An initial but aborted effort to lay out his metaphysical, epistemological and moral views Ethics philosophical masterpiece Theological-Political Treatise Security of society is enhanced by freedom of thought
Spinoza’s Ethics:
Spinoza’s Ethics Systematic and unforgiving critique of the traditional philosophical conceptions of God, the human being and the universe, and of the religions and the theological and moral beliefs grounded thereupon Part I about trying to demonstrate the truth about God Part II about trying to show that our
happiness and well-being can be found in a life of reason
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His ethics are based largely liberation, a liberation that is directly tied to the cultivation of reason. Spinoza’s ethical orientation is much more like that of the ancients Like the ancients, he sought not so much to analyze the nature and source of moral duty as to describe the ideal human life. This is the life that is lived by the so-called ‘free-man’. It is a life of one who lives by the guidance of reason rather than under the sway of the passions.
Spinoza Says::
Spinoza Says: Freedom from the passions Liberation lies in the acquisition of knowledge, which empowers the mind and renders it less susceptible to external circumstances Guidance of reason Spinoza tells us that the model human life is lived by the guidance of reason rather than the sway of passion
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Knowledge of God as the highest power Those who live by the guidance of reason will naturally live in harmony with one another receives some support from his view of the highest good for a human The highest good is the knowledge of God. Since this knowledge can be possessed equally by all who seek it, it can be sought by all without drawing any into conflict.