Routledge Philosophy GuideBook to Spinoza on Politics (Routledge Philosophy GuideBooks)

Baruch Spinoza is one of the most influential and controversial political philosophers of the early modern period. Though best-known for his contributions to metaphysics, Spinoza's__Theological-Political Treatise__(1670) and his unfinished__Political Treatise__(1677) were widely debated and helped to shape the political writings of philosophers as diverse as Rousseau, Kant, Marx, Nietzsche, and (although he publicly denied it) even Locke. In addition to its enormous historical importance, Spinoza's political philosophy is also strikingly contemporary in its advocacy of toleration of unpopular religious and political views and his concern with stabilizing religiously diverse democratic societies.The first Guidebook to Spinoza's political writings,__The Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Spinoza on Politics__ covers the following key points:Spinoza's life and the background to his philosophythe key themes and arguments of the __Theological-Political Treatise__ and __Political Treatise__the continuing importance of Spinoza's work to philosophy.This book is an ideal starting point for anyone new to Spinoza and essential reading for students of political philosophy and seventeenth-century philosophy. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title Page 6 Copyright Page 7 Dedication 8 Table of Contents 10 Preface 11 Abbreviations 14 1. The Theological-Political Problem 16 Introduction 16 The Christendom Model 18 The Early Modern Crisis: Religious Innovation and Political Centralization 20 The Theological-Political Problem 24 Conclusion 26 Further Reading 27 2. Naturalism, Right, and Power 28 Introduction 28 Power and Natural Right 30 Natural Laws, Positive Laws, and Laws of Nature 32 Naturalism and the Natural Rights Thesis 36 Spinoza’s Weakly Normative Political Theory 39 Conclusion 42 Further Reading 42 3. The State of Nature and the Origins of Civil Society 43 Introduction 43 Classical Social Contract Theory 44 Freedom and Bondage 47 The State of Nature 50 The Need for Civil Society 52 Forming a Civil Society 57 Conclusion 59 Further Reading 59 4. Critique of Traditional Biblical Religion 60 Introduction 60 Traditional Biblical Religion in the Christendom Model 62 Critique One: on Prophecy (or Revelation) 63 Critique Two: on Miracles 72 Defense of the Metaphysical Thesis 74 Defense of the Epistemic Thesis 78 Defense of the Scriptural Thesis 83 Critique Three: on the Divine Law 86 Critique Four: On the Interpretation of Scripture 92 Conclusion 104 Further Reading 104 5. The Universal Religion 106 Introduction 106 Separating Internal Religious Beliefs From External Religious Practices 108 Spinoza’s Universal Religion of Civic Virtue 112 Conclusion 120 Further Reading 121 6. Toleration 122 Introduction 122 Religious Authority Is Subordinate to Political Power 124 Sovereign Power has Natural Limits 134 Toleration is Necessary for a Virtuous Citizenry 140 Spinoza and Locke on Toleration 143 Conclusion 146 Further Reading 147 7. Democratic Theory 148 Introduction 148 Democracy Defined 150 Democratic Equality 155 Democratic Rationality 156 Rationality, Stability, and Freedom 159 Liberal Republicanism: from Diversity to Unity 163 Conclusion 166 Further Reading 167 Bibliography 168 Index 176 "Baruch Spinoza is one of the most influential and controversial political philosophers of the early modern period. Though best-known for his contributions to metaphysics, Spinoza{u2019}s Theological-Political Treatise (1670) and his unfinished Political Treatise (1677) were widely debated and helped to shape the political writings of philosophers as diverse as Rousseau, Kant, Marx, Nietzsche, and (although he publicly denied it) even Locke. In addition to its enormous historical importance, Spinoza{u2019}s political philosophy is also strikingly contemporary in its advocacy of toleration of unpopular religious and political views and his concern with stabilizing religiously diverse democratic societies. The first Guidebook to Spinoza{u2019}s political writings, The Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Spinoza on Politics covers the following key points: Spinoza{u2019}s life and the background to his philosophy, the key themes and arguments of the Theological-Political-Treatise and Political Treatise, [and] the continuing importance of Spinoza{u2019}s work to philosophy. This book is an ideal starting point for anyone new to Spinoza and essential reading for students of political philosophy and seventeenth-century philosophy" --Provided by publisher Baruch Spinoza is one of the most influential and controversial political philosophers of the early modern period. Though best-known for his contributions to metaphysics, Spinoza's Theological-Political Treatise (1670) and his unfinished Political Treatise (1677) were widely debated and helped to shape the political writings of philosophers as diverse as Rousseau, Kant, Marx, Nietzsche, and (although he publicly denied it) even Locke. In addition to its enormous historical importance, Spinoza's political philosophy is also strikingly contemporary in its advocacy of toleration of unpopular religious and political views and his concern with stabilizing religiously diverse democratic societies. The first Guidebook to Spinoza's political writings, The Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Spinoza on Politics covers the following key points: Spinoza's life and the background to his philosophy the key themes and arguments of the Theological-Political Treatise and Political Treatise the continuing importance of Spinoza's work to philosophy. This book is an ideal starting point for anyone new to Spinoza and essential reading for students of political philosophy and seventeenth-century philosophy. Baruch Spinoza is one of the most influential and controversial political philosophers of the early modern period. This book is an ideal starting point for anyone new to Spinoza and essential reading for students of political philosophy and Seventeenth century philosophy.