Spinoza's Ethics : an introduction / Steven Nadler.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Nadler, Steven M., 1958-

Series:

Cambridge introductions to key philosophical texts

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Spinoza, Benedictus de, 1632-1677. Ethica.

Spinoza, Benedictus de.

Ethics.

Physical Description:

xvii, 281 pages ; 22 cm.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2006.

Summary:

Spinoza's Ethics is one of the most remarkable, important, and difficult books in the history of philosophy: a treatise simultaneously on metaphysics, knowledge, philosophical psychology, moral philosophy, and political philosophy. It presents, in Spinoza's famous 'geometric method', his radical views on God, Nature, the human being, and happiness. In this wide-ranging introduction to the work, Steven Nadler explains the doctrines and arguments of the Ethics, and shows why Spinoza's endlessly fascinating ideas may have been so troubling to his contemporaries, as well as why they are still highly relevant today. He also examines the philosophical background to Spinoza's thought and the dialogues in which Spinoza was engaged - with his contemporaries (including Descartes and Hobbes), with ancient thinkers (especially the Stoics), and with his Jewish rationalist forebears. His book is written for the student reader but will also be of interest to specialists in early modern philosophy.

Contents:

1 Spinoza's life and works 1

2 The geometric method 35

3 On God: substance 52

4 On God: necessity and determinism 84

5 The human being 122

6 Knowledge and will 154

7 The passions 190

8 Virtue and "the free man" 213

9 Eternity and blessedness 248.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 275-278) and index.

ISBN:

0521836204

0521544793

OCLC:

70034724

Publisher Number:

9780521836203

9780521544795