Spinoza: Freedom's Messiah

Ian Buruma's biography of Baruch Spinoza explores his life and death, highlighting his belief in freedom of thought and speech. Despite being seen as a secular saint, Spinoza's beliefs have been contradictory, ranging from rationalism to atheism and liberalism to despotism. Buruma argues that Spinoza's Jewish life exemplified how to be Jewish without believing in Judaism, and his defense of universal freedom is as important for our own time as it was in his.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 26 March 2024
Publisher: Yale University Press

  Baruch (Benedictus) Spinoza (1632–1677) was a radical free thinker who led a life guided by strong moral principles despite his disbelief in an all-seeing God. Seen by many—Christians as well as Jews—as Satans disciple during his lifetime,Spinoza has been regarded as a secular saint since his death. Many contradictory beliefs have been attached to his name: rationalism or metaphysics,atheism or pantheism,liberalism or despotism,Jewishness or anti-Semitism. However,there is no question that he viewed freedom of thought and speech as essential to an open and free society.   In this insightful account,the award-winning author Ian Buruma stresses the importance of the time and place that shaped Spinoza,beginning with the Sephardim of Amsterdam and followed by the politics of the Dutch Republic. Though Spinoza rejected the basic assumptions of his familys faith,and was consequently expelled from his Sephardic community,Buruma argues that Spinoza did indeed lead a Jewish life: a  modern  Jewish life. To Heine,Hess,Marx,Freud,and no doubt many others today,Spinoza exemplified how to be Jewish without believing in Judaism. His defense of universal freedom is as important for our own time as it was in his.
Baruch (Benedictus) Spinoza (1632–1677) was a radical free thinker who led a life guided by strong moral principles despite his disbelief in an all-seeing God. Seen by many—Christians as well as Jews—as Satans disciple during his lifetime,Spinoza has been regarded as a secular saint since his death. Many contradictory beliefs have been attached to his name: rationalism or metaphysics,atheism or pantheism,liberalism or despotism,Jewishness or anti-Semitism. However,there is no question that he viewed freedom of thought and speech as essential to an open and free society.   In this insightful account,the award-winning author Ian Buruma stresses the importance of the time and place that shaped Spinoza,beginning with the Sephardim of Amsterdam and followed by the politics of the Dutch Republic. Though Spinoza rejected the basic assumptions of his familys faith,and was consequently expelled from his Sephardic community,Buruma argues that Spinoza did indeed lead a Jewish life: a  modern  Jewish life. To Heine,Hess,Marx,Freud,and no doubt many others today,Spinoza exemplified how to be Jewish without believing in Judaism. His defense of universal freedom is as important for our own time as it was in his.

Weight: 426g
Dimension: 156 x 218 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300248920