Continuum Companion to Spinoza

Description

Benedictus Spinoza (1632-77) was among the most important of the post-Cartesian philosophers of the second half of the seventeenth century. He made original contributions in every major area of philosophy. His work reflects the influences of Stoicism, Maimonides, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Descartes, and others. Spinoza is best known for his Ethics, which is often held up as a supreme example of a self-contained metaphysical system intended to explain the universe. Some of his psychological influences, perhaps lesser known, anticipated Freud. This book is the first to offer an accessible, encyclopedic account of Spinoza's life and ideas, his influences and commentators, and his lasting significance. Some of the best features include an annotated chronology of Spinoza's life, bibliographies of his major influences and critics, a substantive dictionary of key Spinozan concepts, and summaries of Spinoza's principal writings. The work concludes with an essay on Spinoza's place in modern academic scholarship. This work is a valuable tool for anyone interested in Spinoza and the era of great change in which he lived and wrote.

Prof Wiep van Bunge is Dean of the Faculteit der Wijsbegeerte at Rotterdam. He was previously Head of the Philosophy Department and has published extensively on Spinoza and Dutch Philosophy.

"The structure of the volume is unique in comparison with other books of the 'companion' genre. Instead of the regular eight to ten essays on the main aspects of the philosopher's thought, the current volume is structured more like a dictionary, framed by various introductory essays. The book consists of six divisions, each of which is accompanied by its own bibliography. The first division tells the story of Spinoza's life through a documentary history, presented more as a diary or chronicle than a narrative essay. This is a fresh, detailed, and very helpful unit . . . a fine volume summarizing one epoch in Spinoza scholarship." -- Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews