Very satisfying read. Thank you. Do you recommend one dive right into Ethics or are there some good introductory accounts the lay reader might find a better start? The Courtier and the Heretic perhaps?
Thanks Jason. TCATH is a good choice, but my #1 choices for someone who wants to seriously get into the Ethics is to start with "Betraying Spinoza" by Rebecca Goldstein or Beth Lord's "Spinoza's Ethics" which is a beginner's guide to the text itself. I've also written a commentary on the first two of the five books of the Ethics you can reach here: https://medium.com/strange-wonder/spinoza-in-plain-english-pt-1-substance-a557ed01fe1
So this book is probably the best single volume presentation of the psychology and ethics portion of the Ethics out there and I recommend it with the proviso that Nadlers writing is IMO very dry and I really wish he wrote in a more down to earth and engaging way. Maybe that's just me. Still recommend it.
Very satisfying read. Thank you. Do you recommend one dive right into Ethics or are there some good introductory accounts the lay reader might find a better start? The Courtier and the Heretic perhaps?
I also recommend anything on Spinoza by Yitzhak Melamed
Thanks Jason. TCATH is a good choice, but my #1 choices for someone who wants to seriously get into the Ethics is to start with "Betraying Spinoza" by Rebecca Goldstein or Beth Lord's "Spinoza's Ethics" which is a beginner's guide to the text itself. I've also written a commentary on the first two of the five books of the Ethics you can reach here: https://medium.com/strange-wonder/spinoza-in-plain-english-pt-1-substance-a557ed01fe1
and finally.... :) I've heard good things about Spinoza's Religion by Claire Carlisle, FYI: https://a.co/d/1LWqORv
I love love love Clara Carlisle I recommend that book and also her presentation of George Eliot's translation of the Ethics
Her series in The Guardian on Spinoza is still available. A nice introduction for folks who are looking for just that https://www.theguardian.com/profile/clare-carlisle?page=2
Also, is there a recommended translation of Ethics?
My favourite is the Cambridge edition (Matthew Kisner)
How about "Think Least of Death: Spinoza on How to Live and How to Die" by Nadler?
So this book is probably the best single volume presentation of the psychology and ethics portion of the Ethics out there and I recommend it with the proviso that Nadlers writing is IMO very dry and I really wish he wrote in a more down to earth and engaging way. Maybe that's just me. Still recommend it.