This is a very good short introduction to Spinoza and his relevance in the modern world. This work by Douglas J. Den Uyl does a great job covering Spinoza’s thought and its continuing relevance today.
There is a lot of very good material packed into this book. Here are just a few of topics that I found of particular interest:
• Spinoza’s role in the development of modern social science and his development of a perfectionist ethics and non-perfectionist politics
• Spinoza’s three levels of goodness and its similarity to “positive psychology”, the concept of “flow”, and the work of Antonio Damasio
• The entire chapter on “The Ethics of Activity” is excellent. He calls Spinoza’s ethics an “ethics of Immanence.” This is defined as “one whose object is essentially the self-perfection or self-empowerment of the individual.”
• The need for intellectual integration. As Den Uyl explains it: “We seek to understand how what we do fits into a larger whole – not just be part of something larger than ourselves. The active mind is always struggling to see connections, and the active life to find a role within them.”
• The problem of insignificance (as modern science continued to demonstrate that man was not at the center of the universe) versus the ethics of immanence and how these are reconciled within Spinoza’s thought.
The book stresses Spinoza’s focus on taking an active role in life versus passively letting things happen. Spinoza is quoted frequently throughout and key ideas and concepts within his thought are clearly explained. Douglas J. Den Uyl has presented Spinoza’s thought in an understandable way while making it clear how these ideas remain relevant today.
I highly recommend this book to those interested in Spinoza, human flourishing and self-perfection. I now plan to do some further reading of Spinoza and I know that I will be returning to this book as I continue to think about how to live a better and more fulfilling life.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Frequently purchased items with fast delivery
Page 1 of 1 Start over
About the author
