Spinoza
(1632-1677) was an excommunicated Jew who had a historico-critical interpretation of the
Bible. Spinoza wanted to see things from the “perspective of eternity.” Said
God is all, all is God. So he’s a pantheist.
In ethical matters, we must free ourselves from all feelings and passions.
Unlike Descartes, Spinoza was a monist.
He only believe in substance. God is all of these substances. We humans
recognize two of God’s qualities. God manifests itself as either, or even more,
but we only know two. “You are but a finger of God’s body.” You are governed
according to the laws of nature. He had a deterministic view of the natural
world. Everything happens through necessity. Outer circumstances can constrain
humans. Humans according to Spinoza will never achieve free will because they
are constrained by desire.
