Spinoza: A Life

by Steven Nadler

Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) was one of the most important philosophers of all time; he was also arguably the most radical and controversial. This was the first complete biography of Spinoza in any language and is based on detailed archival research. More than simply recounting the story of Spinoza's life, the book takes the reader right into the heart of Jewish Amsterdam in the seventeenth century and, with Spinoza's exile from Judaism, right into the midst of the tumultuous political, social, intellectual and religious world of the young Dutch Republic. Though the book will be an invaluable resource for philosophers, historians, and scholars of Jewish thought, it has been written for any member of the general reading public with a serious interest in philosophy, Jewish history, seventeenth-century European history, and the culture of the Dutch Golden Age. Spinoza: A Life has recently been awarded the Koret Jewish Book Award."

Genres: Philosophy, Biography, History, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, Politics, Religion

430 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Steven Nadler is the William H. Hay II Professor of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin--Madison. His books include Rembrandt's Jews, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize; Spinoza: A Life, which won the Koret Jewish Book Award; and A Book Forged in Hell: Spinoza's Scandalous Treatise and the Birth of the Secular Age (Princeton).

Reviews

[robin friedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Biography Of A Great Philosopher

Benedict Spinoza (1632-1677) is one of the most influential philosophers in history. As a young man, her was excommunicated by the elders of the Jewish community in Amsterdam and subsequently came to be regarded by some as a "secular saint" and by others as an infamous atheist. Although there are many legends and myths about Spinoza's life, there has been no extended biography in English until Nadler's study. In fact, outside of brief accounts written shortly after Spinoza's death, this book is probably the first extended treatment of Spinoza's life in any language.

Given the scarcity of biographical information, Nadler does an excellent job in placing Spinoza's life in historical context. He discusses in detail how the Jewish community in Amsterdam became established, precariously, by immigrants from the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal. He describes the efforts the Jewish community made to win acceptance in Amsterdam, the place of Spinoza's family in the Jewish community, and the rabbis and leaders of the community. Some of this material is well-known, others of it is less so. It is all valuable to getting to understand Spinoza.

There is a great deal of discussion of the history of the Dutch republic in Spinoza's time. Nadler's discussion includes both internal affairs (the tension between those who wanted a powerful monarch and those who wanted republican institutions) and the complex foreign wars and shifting alliances of the Netherlands during Spinoza's time. I never could make sense of this material before, but Nadler has discussed it well and in sufficient detail to provide a good background in understanding Spinoza's political ideas.

Nadler's book is not itself a philosophical study. But he treats carefully and instructively the origin of Spinoza's works and he summarizes their complex ideas well. He does not limit his discussion to the "Ethics". Instead, Nadler spends a great deal of time on the "Theological-Political Treatise" which he rightly views as a neglected masterpiece complementary to the Ethics. There are also good discussions of Spinoza's unfinished "Hebrew Grammar" and, particularly, of the Epistles, as well as of his other works.

Nadler has a good sense of Spinoza's naturalism encompassed be the famous phrase "deus, siva natura". He gives the reader a good feel for the revolutionary nature of Spinoza's thought and shows how and why Spinoza departed from the traditional religious belief of his day.
Nadler is a careful in his use of sources. He tells the reader what evidence from a record both complex and sparse he accepts, what he doubts, and why. When Nadler draws a conclusion that goes beyond the available evidence, he tells the reader that he has done so and why he has done so. This is measured, careful writing about a figure Nadler obviously admires.

There is much creative detail in this book as Nadler draws on recent scholarship to cast light on Spinoza and his times. For example, he relies substantially on the report made to the Inquisition of a person who knew Spinoza in Amsterdam. He discusses the Sabatti Zvi incident (a false Jewish Messiah who appealed to many people during Spinoza's lifetime) and Spinoza's possible knowledge of it. The book debunks the myth of Spinoza as a recluse. One of the strongest features of the book is its picture of Spinoza's intellectual circle and of his relationship to many friends.

The book doesn't include a critical analysis of Spinoza's thought. Such studies are legion and there still is much to say and learn. Also, the book doesn't discuss the reception and influence of Spinoza through the years. Again, this is beyond the scope of the book. The book is an excellent biography of a seminal figure in Western philosophy. I came away from the book with a increased understanding of and appreciation for Spinoza's life and thought.

Robin Friedman

[Ferhat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yazarın dediği gibi bu kitap Spinoza felsefesinin kaynaklarının keşfe çıkıldığı ve nereye evrildiğine dair entelektüel bir biyografi değil. Tabi gerekli yerlerde bunlara değinilmiyor değil ama üzerinde özel olarak durulmuyor. Öncelikle bu bilinerek okunmalı. Daha çok Seferad Yahudileri ve çağının en özgürlükçü ülkesi olan Hollanda'da ya dair bolca siyasi ve kültürel bir inceleme söz konusu. Spinoza'nin nasıl bir kültürel ortamda yetiştiğini kimlerle temas içine girdiğini okuyoruz. Söz konusu Spinoza olunca bolca magazinsel malzeme var fakat yazar romantize etmeden ve soğukkanlıkla eğiliyor bu detaylara. Hatta suikaste uğramasi olayına değinilmiyor bile. Ama kitap bittiğinde çokca konu hakkında bilgi edinmiş oluyorsunuz. İleri Spinoza okumaları için iyi bir giriş kitabı bence.

Dolu dolu bir beş yildiz mi derseniz değil ama gayet keyfili bir okuma sunuyor. Okuduğum için memnunum tavsiye ederim.

[Marc Lamot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very comprehensive, especially in the sketch of the time frame and the events in Amsterdam. There is actually very little known about Spinoza himself. I missed information on how things developed after Spinoza. The biography ends quite abruptly.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've already started reading Rebecca Goldstein's (for comparison purposes), which is reinforcing my belief that it's a cliche, or should be, that a Jew of Orthodox background who fancies himself a free thinker will be drawn to the mystique surrounding this philosopher. Really, who wouldn't be? At age 23, Baruch Spinoza, born and raised in the Orthodox Jewish community of 17th century Amsterdam, yeshiva-educated, is excommunicated and cursed by his community for unknown deeds, in one of the most vituperative extant Jewish excommunication documents. Spinoza, apparently without a backward glance, leaves his family and his familiar world and goes on to become a great and highly controversial philosopher, shaking contemporary dogma and remaining iconoclastic to the end. Oh, the drama.

But if what you're hoping for is a juicy look at Spinoza's inner life, the pathos he and those around him must have experienced before, during, and after his excommunication, his final good-bye with his family, or inner conflicts and regrets on both sides, this is not the book. Steven Nadler is way too responsible a historian for that. He gives you details -- lots of them -- and offers tight, well-supported arguments to buttress his conclusions, but he restricts those conclusions to areas where information is available. And we apparently know very little about Spinoza's personal life or inner feelings, particularly around the time of his excommunication.

This book will give you a feel for 17th century Amsterdam -- its politics, its intellectual ferment, its Jewish and Christian communities. It will give you a sense of Portuguese Marrano families and what they went through. It will tell you about the ideological controversies of the times, and how Spinoza both contributed to these controversies and was affected by them. It will try (not entirely successfully, in my case) to give you a distilled understanding of Spinoza's philosophy and writings. It's an educational and worthwhile read, and an admirable feat. What it won't give you is "Spinoza: The Drama," which would certainly be a more exciting, if highly speculative read.

Oh, well. It was an effort, but I'm not sorry I pushed my way through. I learned a lot.

[Lauren Albert · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, some time ago Fred & I decided to read The Ethics together. That lasted about a day. His theory was that if you don't understand something, you keep reading and eventually it will all come clear to you. My theory is that if you don't understand page 1, you'll never understand page 2. Since I could never quite get page 1 (metaphorically speaking), I was never ever going to move on to page 2. That just doesn't work for a reading group, even a two-person group. So I entered this book with trepidation. Thankfully, right at the beginning, Nadler says that he is not making an effort to teach Spinoza's philosophy (whew!). So except for a brief section later on, which I of course ran my eyes over, it was not a very difficult book. Nadler does discuss the larger issues that were controversial and so he does deal somewhat with Spinoza's philosophy. But it does seem that since so many of the people who attacked him didn't really understand his philosophy either, I was pretty safe.

It was a relatively abstract biography--in the sense of dealing with Spinoza's beliefs more than his life. But it could be because of the great destruction of his correspondence after his decease which Nadler mentions. I didn't get a good feel for Spinoza as a person except for his open-mindedness towards others.

[Antonio Fanelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conoscevo l'opera di Spinoza, ma nulla della sua vita. Questo libro racconta tutto quello che si sa per certo e fa poche, ma solide ipotesi su quello che non si sa.
Non solo: racconta la situazione degli ebrei in Spagna e Portogallo, l'Olanda del '600. illustra con criterio e semplicità i punti fondamentali dell'opera spinoziana e offre una panoramica efficace del clima filosofico e teologico dell'epoca.
Un libro ottimo.

[Owlseyes]

The Graphic Spinoza
By Ben Nadler, Steven Nadler

in:https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/t...

[T J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This detailed analysis of the life and times of Spinoza is so thoroughly enjoyable that I bought the book and am re-reading it as we hike through Germany, Belgium, and Holland.

[Dieuwe Beersma · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great work on the philosopher who shocked the world! Not only is it a wonderful introduction to Spinoza’s Ethics, it gives great insight in Cartesian philosophy as well. Furthermore, the book really succeeds in showing the importance of the intellectual climate and the historical developments of the 17th century Dutch Republic, and of course especially that of the city of Amsterdam. As Nadler states: "(...) if one must search for the “corruptor” of Spinoza, then, in a sense the real culprit is Amsterdam itself” (2018: 173). The book shows the sincere religiosity of Spinoza. He searched for the true God through the power of the intellect, outside the constraining and repressive atmosphere of 17th century organised religion. He aspired to a life led based on reason and virtue, instead of bondage to the passions. And according to him, so can you: “(…) Spinoza clearly believed that anyone-and we are all endowed with the same rational cognitive facilities-with sufficient self-mastery and intellectual attentiveness can perceive the truth to the highest degree”(2018: 265).

[ernst · Rating 3 out of 5]

Über das Leben Spinozas ist nicht besonders viel bekannt. Nadler geht mit dieser unglücklichen Ausgangslage dergestalt um, dass er seine Biographie mit sehr viel Material über die Personen, die für Spinoza mehr oder weniger relevant waren, ebenso füllt wie mit langen Beschreibungen des ideologischen und historischen Kontexts. Vieles von diesem Material ist nicht besonders interessant, so dass die Lektüre mühsam ist. Nadler ist dazu kein besonders begabter Erzähler oder Stilist, was der aufkommenden Langeweile hätte Abhilfe schaffen können. Auch sie Darstellungen der Schriften Spinozas fesselt nicht eben durch Funken sprühende Brillanz.

Gut ist, dass er bemüht ist, viele der Spinoza umrankenden Mythen kritisch zu prüfen. So hat das Buch einen wissenschaftlichen Wert, der nicht geringzuschätzen ist.

[Colette Lawler]

dnf. this shit was boring as fuck! spinoza ily but i cannot do this!

[Andrea Samorini · Rating 5 out of 5]

pag.108 _______________________________

Per gli ebrei è comune credere infatti che la venuta del Messia, discendente della casata di Davide, coincida con il ritorno degli ebrei in terra santa e l'inizio di un'èra di pace universale. Mentre è fonte di controversie tra le autorità e i pensatori ebraici in che cosa, esattamente, possa consistere il periodo messianico. Maimonide, ad esempio, sconsigliava di credere in un altro paradiso terrestre, mentre insisteva a dire che il Messia sarebbe stato viceversa un comune mortale, il quale avrebbe restaurato il regno di Davide, ricostruito il santuario e raccolto sotto di sé tutti i membri di Israele. Citando il Talmud, egli affermava che «la sola differenza tra il presente e i giorni messianici è la liberazione dal giogo delle potenze straniere»".

pag.256 _______________________________

La principale tesi del primo libro è che la Natura è un tutto indivisibile, sostanziale e senza causa - ossia l’unico tutto sostanziale. Ai di fuori della Natura non c'è nulla: tutto ciò che esiste fa parte della Natura ed è fatto essere dalla Natura secondo una necessità deterministica. Questo ente unificato, unico, produttivo e necessario è per l'appunto quanto si intende per «Dio». A causa della necessità inerente alla Natura, non c'è dunque alcuna teleologia nell'universo. La Natura non agisce secondo scopi e le cose non esistono per soddisfare intenti particolari. Non esistono «cause finali» (per usare una comune espressione aristotelica). Dio non «fa» le cose per amore di qualcos'altro. L'ordine delle cose discende semplicemente dalle essenze di Dio, con inviolabile determinismo. E ogni accenno agli intenti di Dio, alle sue intenzioni, ai suoi scopi, alle sue preferenze, è dunque solo una finzione antropomorfica.
«Tutti i pregiudizi che passo a indicare dipendono da questo soltanto, che cioè gli uomini comunemente suppongono che tutte le cose naturali, come essi stessi, agiscano per un fine, e anzi asseriscono come cosa certa che lo stesso Dio dirige a un certo fine tutte le cose - dicono infatti che Dio ha fatto tutte le cose per l'uomo, e l'uomo perché adorasse lui.»
Dio non è un pianificatore orientato verso un obiettivo, che poi giudica le cose per come esse obbediscono ai suoi intenti. Le cose accadono solo a causa della Natura e delle sue leggi. «La Natura non si è prefissa alcun fine... Ogni cosa procede per una certa eterna necessità di natura». Credere altrimenti significa cadere in balia delle stesse superstizioni che stanno al centro delle religioni istituzionalizzate.
«[Gli individui] trovando in sé e fuori di sé non pochi mezzi che giovano parecchio per conseguire il proprio utile, come per esempio gli occhi per vedere, i denti per masticare, erbe e animali per cibarsi, sole per illuminare, mare per allevare pesci, eccetera, è avvenuto che considerino tutte le cose naturali come mezzi per il loro utile; e poiché sanno che quei mezzi sono stati da loro trovati ma non preparati, ne hanno tratto motivo per credere che esista qualcun altro che ha preparato quei mezzi per il loro uso. Infatti, dopo aver considerato le cose come mezzi, non poterono credere che esse si fossero fatte da sé; ma dai mezzi che essi sogliono prepararsi, doverono concludere che ci fosse qualche o alcuni reggitori della natura, forniti di libertà umana, che si fossero curati di tutto per loro, e avessero fatto tutto per il loro uso. Ma anche l'indole di questi, per non averne mai sentito dir nulla, doverono giudicare alla stregua della loro, e quindi stabilirono che gli Dei indirizzano tutto a uso degli uomini, per legarli a sé ed essere da loro tenuti in sommo onore; onde avvenne che tutti escogitassero diverse maniere di adorare Dio, secondo la loro indole, affinché Dio li preferisse agli altri, e dirigesse tutta la natura ad uso della loro cieca cupidità e insaziabile avidità. E cosí questo pregiudizio si mutò in superstizione e mise profonde radici nelle loro menti.»
Un Dio giudice che pianifica e agisce secondo precisi propositi è un Dio da obbedire e lusingare. E predicatori opportunisti possono allora giocare con i nostri timori e le nostre speranze dinanzi a un Dio del genere, prescrivendo azioni calcolate apposta per evitare i castighi e meritare ricompense. Ma, ribadisce Spinoza, pensare che Dio o la Natura agiscano per un qualche scopo - scoprire cioè un disegno nella Natura - significa fraintendere la Natura e «capovolgerla completamente», facendo precedere l'effetto (il risultato finale) alla vera causa.
E nemmeno Dio compie miracoli, poiché non ci si può scostare in alcun modo dal corso naturale e necessario delle cose. La fede nei miracoli è dovuta unicamente all'ignoranza delle vere cause dei fenomeni.
«Se, per esempio, da un tetto cade una pietra in testa a qualcheduno e lo uccide, dimostreranno che la pietra è caduta per uccidere l’uomo in questo modo: se non è caduta a tal fine, per volontà di Dio, come mai hanno potuto convergere per quel caso tante circostanze (giacché spesso ne concorrono appunto molte insieme)? Forse risponderai che soffiava il vento e l'uomo passava di là, e che perciò è avvenuto. Ma domanderanno: perché il vento soffiò in quel momento? Perché in quel medesimo tempo l'uomo passava di là? Se rispondi ancora che il vento era sorto in quel momento per il fatto che il giorno precedente il mare, con il tempo ancora tranquillo, aveva cominciato ad agitarsi; e per il fatto che l'uomo era stato invitato da un amico; chiederanno di nuovo - giacché non c'è fine al domandare - perché il mare era agitato e perché i uomo era stato invitato per quel giorno. E cosi via, non cesseranno di chiedere le cause delle cause, finché non ti sarai rifugiato nella volontà di Dio, cioè nell'asilo dell'ignoranza»
Le parole di Spinoza sono assai pesanti, ed egli non era del resto inconsapevole dei rischi che correva. Gli stessi predicatori che sfruttano la nostra credulità sono poi coloro che fulminano chiunque cerchi di scostare le tende e mostrare il vero volto della Natura. «Chi ricerca le vere cause dei miracoli, e chi si studia di capire da saggio le cose naturali e non di meravigliarsene come uno stolto, è ritenuto e proclamato ora eretico e ora empio da quelli che il volgo adora come interpreti della natura e degli dèi. Essi sanno infatti che, tolta l'ignoranza, vien meno lo stupore, l'unico mezzo che abbiano di sostenere e difendere la loro autorità».

___________________________________
WANT TO READ BOOK:
- Etica (Baruch Spinoza)
- Trattato teologico-politico (Baruch Spinoza)
- Il problema Spinoza (Irvin D. Yalom)
- Il miracolo Spinoza (Frédéric Lenoir)
- Spinoza sulla vita e sulla morte. Una guida filosofica (Steven Nadler)
- Su Spinoza. Corso novembre 1980 - marzo 1981 (Gilles Deleuze)
- Spinoza e il problema dell'espressione (Gilles Deleuze)
- Tutte le vite di Spinoza: Amsterdam 1677. l'invenzione della libertà (Maxime Rovere)

[Macdonagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent biography. One thing to note: it is difficult to get started because there is a significant amount of historical background. Nadler goes into Spinoza's background three or four times removed, if my memory serves me accurately. For Spinoza and the period and place in which he lived and wrote, this background is well worth the effort. It will put a great deal of what follows into perspective.
Spinoza was an avid letter writer. Nadler draws on this fortunate fact. As the story unfolds Spinoza as a person begins to materialize and one feels as if he knows this man who was brilliant, courageous, simple and entirely focused on finding truth. Nevertheless, he was equally dedicated to treated people kindly and patiently even when they did not agree with him, and he lived in a society which, for the most part did not.
I have long admired Spinoza as a seeker after truth and as a warm and caring human being. If we were contemporaries, I would be his friend even though I cannot agree with his world view. I believe that we would be able to have many a profitable conversation. I wish there were more Christian thinkers like him.

[Alessandro Veneri · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book covers a lot of 17th century’s history of the Netherlands; much importance has been given to the description of the history, key figures and habits of the Amsterdam’s Jew community, to which Spinoza belonged.
The biography traces all Spinoza's relationships, among which stands out his correspondence with Oldenburg, and the Amsterdam's circle of "Spinoza's friends"; I found touching the reported meetings of Spinoza with Leibniz.
The biographical aim of the book may suggest that not much of Spinoza's philosophy could be found here; however, given how much any philosopher's thought is shaped by historical contingencies, and given Nadler's effort to report historical facts at length, it is not surprising that the basic concepts of Spinoza's philosophy are here covered. Particular emphasis has been given to the contents of the Theological-political Treatise, while the Ethics has been left on the background.

[icaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

semplice e chiaro ma non approssimativo. Buona descrizione del contesto con approfondimenti sulla storia della Repubblica delle province unite e profili di personaggi minori (ma non minori nella vita e nella cultura del seicento). C'è anche un po' di filosofia esposta in modo semplice e discorsivo.
Su tutto si erge la figura umana del filosofo liberata da molti stereotipi e resa con asciutta grazia(quasi un miracolo data la modestia delle fonti superstiti).
Ottima divulgazione. Uno Spinoza davvero alla portata ddi tutti.

[Morgan]

Aside from his banishment from the Sephardic community of Amsterdam and the banning of his Treatise, Spinoza lived a very uninteresting life. How, then, do you write a good biography about him? By filling it with as much context as possible. After finishing this book, you will know a great deal about Jewish communities and the Netherlands in the 1600s. The book also serves as an excellent introduction to Spinoza's philosophy.

[William T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being uninitiated to Spinoza prior to reading this biography, I must admit the shortcomings of any commentary from me. Having admitted that, I will propose that this is a very good biography and a welcome introduction to the philosophy of Spinoza. I have bought two other books by Steven Nadler and eagerly await their arrival!

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mooie biografie waarbij je een inkijkje krijgt in de Joodse gemeenschap in de 17e eeuw.
Dit maakt me hongerig naar de Ethica. Het meest boeiende vind ik de harde spinozistiche definities over God. Een briljante denker.

[Chanii · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was tedious but informative too.
I mean if someone's gonna throw a thousand new names and concepts at you and even if only one percent sticks , you still would have learned something.

So I can't say I regret bearing through it .

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A VERY INFORMATIVE ACCOUNT OF SPINOZA'S LIFE (IF NOT HIS IDEAS)

Biographer Steven Nadler noted in the Preface of this 1999 book, "This is the first full-length and complete biography of Spinoza ever to appear in English. It is also the first to be written in any language in quite a long time... it was not my intention to track down and present the various sources of Spinoza's thought... This is, in other words, most definitely not an 'intellectual' biography... Nor is this a study of Spinoza's philosophy... What I am interested in... is the life and times of an important and immensely relevant thinker. The question that lies at the heart of this biography is how did the various aspects of Spinoza's life... come together to produce one of history's most radical thinkers?" (Pg. xii-xiii)

He notes, "The most interesting question about Spinoza's intellectual apprenticeship, however, concerns when and how he started reading Descartes, the most important philosopher of the seventeenth century and, without a doubt, the dominant influence on Spinoza's philosophical growth." (Pg. 111)

He wonders, "why was Spinoza excommunicated with such extreme prejudice?... He was only twenty-three years old at the time and had not yet published anything. Nor, as far as we know, had he even composed any treatise... [even] if after the end of the period of mourning for his father he did begin to drift from regular attendance at synagogue and proper observance of Jewish law... none of this is sufficient to explain the vehemence of his excommunication... The answer, then, must lie rather in Spinoza's 'heresies' and 'evil opinions'... If Spinoza was saying these things about God, the soul, and the Law in 1658... then the likelihood of his having been saying them two years earlier is quite strong..." (Pg. 129-130, 136)

He observes, "When Spinoza claims... that 'Extension is an attribute of God, or God is an extended thing,' he was almost universally---but erroneously---interpreted as saying that God is literally corporeal. For just this reason 'Spinozism' became, for his critics, synonymous with atheistic materialism." (Pg. 233)

About the suggestion that Spinoza became a practicing Christian, he argues, "While this is very hard to believe, what makes resolving the issue particularly difficult are the numerous references to Jesus as 'Christ' in his writings, along with his evident admiration for Jesus' teachings. He believed that Jesus, as a recipient of the revelations of God's Word, equaled and perhaps even surpassed Moses... Spinoza certainly did not believe that Jesus was the son of God in the literal sense Christianity demands; nor did he believe either that Jesus' birth involved something miraculous or that anything like a resurrection took place." (Pg. 290-291)

For anyone interested in Spinoza, this book will be essential reading.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

As others here have noted, there is a key difficulty in the very concept of a biography of Spinoza: almost nothing is known about the philosopher's life, particularly his youth. Consequently, until Spinoza turns 30 or so (at which point we gain the benefit of his correspondence), Nadler's account is sprinkled with maybes, probablys, and no-doubts. This was most unsatisfying. The dearth of available evidence, of course, is not Nadler's fault, but it makes me wonder whether writing biographies of Spinoza isn't a bit of a racket. The author nevertheless compensates as best he can by providing a perhaps too-thorough treatment of the history of Spinoza's Netherlands.

Nadler's writing is scholarly but for the most part uninspired. I was surprised that, given his job as professor of philosophy at UW-M, he didn't take a deeper dive into the intricacies of Spinoza's doctrines themselves -- although I suppose he probably intended to eschew philosophical details and focus on biography. In this area too his telling is a bit lacking: I take it that biography, if possible, should try to elicit sympathy for its subject and bring out the complexities of his character. Nadler's Spinoza is not complex, and all his likeability rests on his being a blank screen upon which his biographers can project their own ideological fantasies (say, as a harbinger of modern secularism). He does not offer any deep insights or new perspectives on Spinoza or his work. As such, his book does not approach the higher echelons of biographical writing: plodding and pedestrian, it is an Alexandrian work for an Alexandrian age.

Having read the Principles of Cartesian Philosophy, the Ethics, and the Tractatus in college, I actually liked Spinoza less after reading this book: he has a reputation for a saintly disposition, but there is a touch of smug, supercilious condescension in his vaunted friendliness and peaceableness. He could be rather arrogant. Nadler passes over in silence this flaw of Spinoza's -- and all his other flaws, save perhaps for a touch of winning naivete -- in his admiration for his master. One is reminded of the circle of uncritical admirers who fawned over Spinoza while he was alive.

Given the limitations of the subject, this intellectually responsible but somewhat lackluster biography is probably the best one can do in the way of learning more about Spinoza the man through secondary literature. His writings themselves remain by far the best source.

[Timothy Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't imagine a better book written about this man, using the available information. This is a Biography, which delves here and there into Spinoza's writings, but isn't exclusively an analysis of of those writings. (Nadler's other book, I assume, does that.) You get here a very rich and detailed picture of a place and time and a man trying to challenge a mass deception.

Spinoza is a hero because he was both clever and reasonable. He knew we (Christian Europe) were getting it wrong, but also that people don't easily change their views. His attitude was change through calm reason and patience. Influence the influencers. Unfortunately he didn't live very long, so his work halted abruptly, half way through considering how states could be better run.

For Spinoza, the cheap tricks and superstitions of religion diverted people from the true wonder of God, which is the order and physics of the universe. This was the miracle he highlighted, in contrast to the localised bypassing of physics (magic) you might read about in wholly unreliable scripture.

He grasped early on that whether you believe a lot, a bit or not at all, the same misfortunes befall everyone. He claimed he wasn't an atheist. But tried to prove that the god(s) we worship do not and never have done the sorts of things written in holy books by - well who? That's the question no one seems to ask. Who wrote the holy books? If we don't know are they unreliable?

This is book also gives a terrific picture of the Academic world, unable to explore science in any meaningful way without the express permission of religious leaders. It's a dangerous time to stick your neck out for truth, and so most, even the cleverest, stay hidden in the atheistic closet.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to know more about Spinoza's philosophy. It's probably not the best book for that. There's a lot about his life and times, more, actually, than I wanted to know. So I skimmed a lot. What I was able to glean is that Spinoza was way ahead of his times. You could be tortured or killed for saying the things about God and religion that he said. He did not view God as the Creator, nor as a source of comfort or reward or punishment. He explicitly denies that God is omniscient, compassionate, and wise. Yet he also, like Descartes, maintains that we cannot be deceived if our ideas are clear and distinct because a perfect God cannot be a deceiver. Identifying God with Nature, it doesn't make sense to pray to God. Yet he would also comfort and console members of his household who were sick by encouraging them to endure the lot assigned to them by God. It's hard to put all of these pieces together. I'm still not entirely sure what is added by God, as opposed to simply Nature. Does Nature assign our fate to us? It seems rather that we must endure what happens to us, not that it's assigned by anyone or anything.

[Morgan Owain Morgan-Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most courageous act is to think for yourself – aloud – to disembroil yourself from the ravelled, choking maze of caution. Brilliance is extinguished by cowardice. The voice of candour, of truth, is muted by cowardice. The refusal to act, in cowardice, forswears all proclaimed self-sacrifice.

One who is truly great reminds you of no one else. For the courage to rebel against all that he found deluded, hypocritical, or spurious; at a time of chaotic political, philosophical, and spiritual turmoil; European enlightenment began with Spinoza, intrepidly unique in all that he thought and wrote.

Though there will never be another Spinoza, at this time in history, globally, another valiantly original freedom fighter is desperately needed.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me a much better idea of the man and his times than I had ever had before. He lived in the Netherlands' "golden age" in the 17th century; the year he was born, 1632, saw the births of both van Leuwenhoek and Vermeer. Still, even in his relatively tolerant homeland, he was despised for his writings, for many reasons, but largely for his advocacy of complete separation of church and state. His well developed and thought-out philosophy was radically different from prevailing notions so that he was branded an atheist, though he was nothing of the sort. This "golden age" did not last, but Spinoza's work and reputation has. This book gives informative and very readable account of his life and what he accomplished.

[Vicente · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uma biografia bastante completa, dentro do possível, visto tratar-se de uma personalidade do século XVII, sobre uma das várias mentes brilhantes que aquele século nos legou, não obstante ainda ser visto - cada vez menos, é verdade - como o período confuso que se seguiu ao Renascimento e que antecedeu o século das luzes. Talvez peque, apenas, por não conseguir, a espaços, tornar um pouco mais simples para o leitor a filosofia de Espinosa, ainda que, reconheço, de simples tenha muito pouco. Muito pertinentes, diria fundamentais, os excertos quer da epistolografia do autor, quer mesmo das suas obras, que ajudam a fundamentar alguns episódios da vida de Espinosa e da recepção à sua obra.

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to understand a philosopher's philosophy, learn about his life. Everything falls into place quickly and clearly if you do. In his biography of Spinoza, Steven Nadler gives as complete a picture of who Spinoza was and how his personality and character informed the depth of his philosophy as anyone could. He begins where it is most difficult, delving into his background and that of his family and ancestors. Such a feat is not easy and in Spinoza's case it is indispensable.
If you are attracted to Spinoza's thought and wisdom, reading his biography is a must.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A extremely detailed and thorough presentation the life and philosophy of Spinoza. This has to be the definitive biography. Nader evidently loves Spinoza and is rarely ever critical of his views and actions. It is a kind of apologia pro vita sua. I came to appreciate what Spinoza was trying to do, though his views on religion are arbitrary and not really the result of following his own principles of rationality. He assumes things that are not necessary. I strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in Spinoza and in life in the Netherlands in the mid 17th century.

[Hermes Trismegisto]

Excelente libro, a la par biografía intelectual y personal bastante bien lograda. Tiene la virtud de ofrecer un panorama no solamente histórico, sino también social de todas las instituciones humanas y sucesos importantes que convergieron en la vida de Spinoza, reconstruyendo con pasión incluso los debates teológicos de la época. Un libro indispensable tanto para el neofito como para el más avezado de los interesados en la filosofía del judio de Ámsterdam.

[Edmond Dantes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biografia "allargata" del massimo filosofo secentesco, vero prodromo dei liberi pensatori, figlio di Cartesi e suo superatore.
molto Interessante la Parte biografica, con spunti sulla migrazione degli ebrei iberici in Olanda e sulla politica olandese del 600
Chiaro senza essere semplicistico nella narrazione delle opere e della filosiofia spinoziana
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