Spinoza's Ethics

Catalog description

This course examines the work of the early modern Dutch Jewish philosopher, Baruch Spinoza. Spinoza?s two funademntal philosophical positions are summed up in his slogans ?God, that is, nature? and ?right, that is, power?. He is a central figure in the history of metaphysics and political philosophy, defending monism, materialism, and immanent causation. He is also a crucial touchstone for twentieth-century radical political thought, affect theory, and the contemporary reinvoration of materialist metaphysics. It is strongly recommended that any students enrolling in this class have completed at least two Philosophy courses before it begins.