Spinoza and the Politics of Freedom

Dan Taylor's book re-establishes Spinoza as a collectivist philosopher, arguing that his vision of human freedom and power is realised socially and collectively. It offers a new critical study of the collectivist Spinoza, exploring the role of desire, friendship, imagination, and social institutions in achieving freedom for all.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 31 January 2021
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Spinoza's philosophy of human freedom and power is explored in this book, which argues that it is realized socially and collectively. It offers a new critical study of the collectivist Spinoza, where we can become freer through desire, friendship, the imagination, and transforming the social institutions that structure a given community. A freedom for one and all, attuned to the vicissitudes of human life and the capabilities of each one of us to live up to the demands and constraints of our limited autonomy. This book develops and enriches the continental tradition of Spinozism, drawing on a range of untranslated materials and bringing a fresh perspective to key debates. It repositions Spinoza as the central thinker of desire and freedom and demonstrates how the conflicts within his work inform contemporary theoretical discussions around democracy, the multitude, populism, and power.

Weight: 610g
Dimension: 162 x 240 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474478397