The modern era in Jewish thought was established by the alarmingly radical figure of seventeenth century philosopher, Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), who influenced Enlightenment thought throughout Europe as part of an international ideological movement. ... He has been identified as the " first major European thinker in modern times to embrace democratic republicanism as the highest and most rational form of political organisation,"" in which all men were equal. ... Spinoza's principal contribution to the Enlightenment was to pull together all the strands of atheistic thought from orien...

• Word Count: 2438
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

According to McCloskey, "the cosmological argument does not entitle us to postulate an all-perfect, all-powerful uncaused case.... Another reason that proves that the supreme mover is not the creator-god is that a perfect being has no needs and can do nothing to improve its state. ... The inference of an all-powerful or an all-knowing designer creator will not close off without perfect goodness, benevolence, and fairness such as the inferred creator. ...

• Word Count: 1965
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate