1. Why is Spinoza such a controversial figure in the history of
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 was expelled from the Sephardi community of Amsterdam in 1656 for his unorthodox views, yet, despite this, he had an influence on subsequent, more orthodox Jewish philosophers such as Moses Mendelssohn who was born 52 years after Spinoza's death. ... Spinoza was a materialist philosopher, who rejected Descartes' dualism b...
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- Grade Level: Undergraduate