Spinoza's 'Ethics'：An Introduction (Cambridge Introductions to Key Philosophical Texts)

Spinoza'sEthicsisoneofthemostremarkable,important,anddifficultbooksinthehistoryofphilosophy:atreatisesimultaneouslyonmetaphysics,knowledge,philosophicalpsychology,moralphilosophy,andpoliticalphilosophy.Itpresents,inSpinoza'sfamous'geometricmethod',hisradicalviewsonGod,Nature,thehumanbeing,andhappiness.Inthiswide-ranging2006introductiontothework,StevenNadlerexplainsthedoctrinesandargumentsoftheEthics,andshowswhySpinoza'sendlesslyfascinatingideasmayhavebeensotroublingtohiscontemporaries,aswellaswhytheyarestillhighlyrelevanttoday.HealsoexaminesthephilosophicalbackgroundtoSpinoza'sthoughtandthedialoguesinwhichSpinozawasengaged-withhiscontemporaries(includingDescartesandHobbes),withancientthinkers(especiallytheStoics),andwithhisJewishrationalistforebears.Hisbookiswrittenforthestudentreaderbutwillalsobeofinteresttospecialistsinearlymodernphilosophy.