PhilosophersBaruch Spinoza

Baruch Spinoza

God, that is, Nature: everything follows by necessity.

Rationalism1632 – 1677 NetherlandsRationalistThinker of God-or-NatureDeterministDefender of freedom of thought

Overview Arguments · 6 Works Quotes Lineage

1663

Principles of Cartesian Philosophy, with Metaphysical Thoughts

The only book published under his name in his lifetime: an exposition of Descartes in geometrical form.

Written and published by the author

1670

Theological-Political Treatise essential

Published anonymously, with a false place of printing. A historical reading of the Bible and a defence of freedom of thought. Banned in 1674.

Written and published by the author

1677

Ethics essential

His masterpiece, demonstrated "in geometrical order". Finished in 1675, he gave up publishing it out of caution; his friends published it after his death.

Written by the author, published posthumously

1677

Political Treatise

Unfinished: it stops at the chapter on democracy. Not yet in our corpus.

Written by the author, published posthumously

1677

Correspondence

About 85 letters, published after his death. Some, written in Dutch, survive only in Latin translation.

Written by the author, published posthumously