Spinoza Unravelled

Ethics · Part I, “On God” · Definitions 1-3What does it mean for something to be the cause of itself? Michah and Clare explore the first three definitions of Spinoza’s Ethics, unpacking his puzzling opening claim that something’s very nature can involve its existence. These few lines begin to reveal a picture of reality in which existence and understanding are inseparable, offering our first clues to ideas that will unfold as we unravel the Ethics, line by line.Exclusive podcast offer: buy the edition used in the podcast, A Spinoza Reader, edited by Edwin Curley, directly from Princeton University Press and use code SPINOZA (all caps) for 40% off.View the book at Princeton University Press ↗

Michah and Clare begin reading Part I of Spinoza’s Ethics, “On God”, with its eight definitions and seven axioms. Why does Spinoza begin this way, and what makes a definition true? From Euclid’s geometry to a letter about the Temple of Solomon, they explore the foundations of Spinoza’s philosophy and how we might approach a work that challenges our understanding of reality.Ethics · Part I, “On God” · Definitions 1-8 and Axioms 1-7Exclusive podcast offer: buy the edition used in the podcast, A Spinoza Reader, edited by Edwin Curley, directly from Princeton University Press and use code SPINOZA (all caps) for 40% off.View the book at Princeton University Press ↗

Before diving into Spinoza’s Ethics, Michah and Clare explain what the book sets out to do, how its five parts fit together, and what to expect from its definitions, proofs and scholia.Exclusive podcast offer: buy the edition used in the podcast, A Spinoza Reader, edited by Edwin Curley, directly from Princeton University Press and use code SPINOZA (all caps) for 40% off.View the book at Princeton University Press ↗

Michah and Clare explore Spinoza’s practical advice about pleasure, money and living among others. How can we enjoy life and fit into our communities without losing sight of what matters most? Bringing this first series to a close, they reflect on the personal story Spinoza has told us, what it reveals about his pursuit of joy, and the different starting point that awaits us in the Ethics.Treatise on the Emendation of the Intellect · §17, the second and third rules of living, with reflections on §1–17.Next time, Michah and Clare begin a new series exploring Spinoza’s Ethics.Read along with A Spinoza Reader, edited by Edwin Curley. Order directly from Princeton University Press and enter SPINOZA (all caps) for the podcast’s exclusive 40% discount. View the book at Princeton University Press ↗

Michah and Clare explore Spinoza’s plans for a society that helps more people flourish. Scientific knowledge, education, health and technology all have a part to play, but first we need to heal the intellect. The discussion leads to his first practical rule of living: speak in ways that ordinary people can understand. What does this tell us about how to read Spinoza himself?Treatise on the Emendation of the Intellect §14–17, through the first rule of livingExclusive podcast offer: buy the edition used in the podcast, A Spinoza Reader, edited by Edwin Curley, directly from Princeton University Press and use code SPINOZA (all caps) for 40% off.View the book at Princeton University Press ↗