The Riddle of Spinoza's God

Baruch Spinoza, one of the West's finest minds, has been called a ‘blasphemous and dangerous atheist’ and one who was ‘drunk on God.’ Explore with us what lies beneath the riddle of Spinoza God.

Beginning with a two-minute recap of Spinoza’s Metaphysics before embarking with Spinoza on his project of redefining God, God as Substance and God as Nature. We’ll look briefly at Spinoza argument for the existence of God, as he conceives it. We’ll pose two questions, one of quality and one of attitude, to take a stab at solving the question of whether Spinoza was a theist, an atheist, a pantheist, or a panentheist.

We’ll conclude with a look at the Pantheism Controversy that shook 18th century Europe in the wake of Spinoza’s thought, of whispered deathbed confessions that left the faith of Europe and the legacy of the Enlightenment hanging in the balance, and as a treat for those stay till the very end, a poem about Spinoza from Jorge Louis Borges about the true creation of the Ethics. After all is said and done, one thing’s for sure, this ain’t your grandmothers God.

Made in collaboration with Filip Holm ‪@LetsTalkReligion‬ check out his accompanying video:    • What is Spinoza's God?  
Filip and I had a wonderful convo on the question of Comparative Mysticism. Check it out:    • Talking Mysticism with Filip Holm @Le...  

00:00 No God but Spinoza’s
01:47 Recap of Spinoza’s Metaphysics
04:51 Redefining God
05:47 God as Substance
10:28 Spinoza’s Argument for God
12:40 Spinoza as Pantheist
14:00 Not Your Grandmother’s God
17:27 Spinoza on Nature
19:12 God or Nature
20:41 Pantheist or Atheist?
23:08 A Question of Quality
28:10 A Question of Attitude
33:33 The Pantheism Controversy
37:43 Was Spinoza a Panentheist?
40:19 Summary
41:55 Poem

Check out our Spinoza series:
The Metaphysics of Spinoza:    • The Metaphysics of Spinoza | A World ...  
Spinoza's Secret for a Blessed Life:    • Spinoza’s Secret for a Good Life  
The Case for Spinoza’s Mysticism:    • The Case for Spinoza's Mysticism  
Did Spinoza Learn Kabbalah:    • Did Spinoza Know Kabbalah?  
Spinoza, Atheist or Kabbalist:    • Spinoza - Atheist or Kabbalist?  

Some other Philosophers we covered:
Giordano Bruno:    • The Real Story of Giordano Bruno | Wh...  
John Scotus Eriugina:    • The Philosopher Who Tried to End the ...  
Abraham Abulafia:    • Abraham Abulafia | The Life and Mind ...  

SoU Spinoza Playlist:    • Baruch Spinoza  
SoU Pantheism Series:    • Pantheism  

Recommended Readings:
• Yovel, Yirmiyahu (ed.), 1991. God and Nature: Spinoza’s Metaphysics, Leiden: Brill.
• Mason, Richard. 1997. The God of Spinoza: A Philosophical Study. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Copleston, F. (1946). Pantheism in Spinoza and the German Idealists. Philosophy, 21(78), 42-56.

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