Part of the Jewish Encounter seriesIn 1656; Amsterdam’s Jewish community excommunicated Baruch Spinoza; and; at the age of twenty–three; he became the most famous heretic in Judaism. He was already germinating a secularist challenge to religion that would be as radical as it was original. He went on to produce one of the most ambitious systems in the history of Western philosophy; so ahead of its time that scientists today; from string theorists to neurobiologists; count themselves among Spinoza’s progeny.In Betraying Spinoza; Rebecca Goldstein sets out to rediscover the flesh-and-blood man often hidden beneath the veneer of rigorous rationality; and to crack the mystery of the breach between the philosopher and his Jewish past. Goldstein argues that the trauma of the Inquisition’ s persecution of its forced Jewish converts plays itself out in Spinoza’s philosophy. The excommunicated Spinoza; no less than his excommunicators; was responding to Europe’ s first experiment with racial anti-Semitism.Here is a Spinoza both hauntingly emblematic and deeply human; both heretic and hero—a surprisingly contemporary figure ripe for our own uncertain age.From the Hardcover edition.
#490163 in Books Henry Holt and Co. 2009-08-04 2009-08-04Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.57 x 1.86 x 6.55l; 2.14 #File Name: 0805087699912 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Richard BenferA well written biography of a very fascinating and important person.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great bookBy wazir muttaqiExcellent quality; fast delivery. Lewis is one of my favorite historians9 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Excellent Reference Book; Lacking in Other AreasBy Gary WesthoffThis is an abridged version of a previous two volume biography by the author. In an era when many (incorrectly) surmise that all information can be acquired online; the author provides a detailed reference book for scholars of twentieth century American radicalism and African-American history.This work is not an easy read. The writing style is dense; and previous historical knowledge is needed in order to make it through. It seems likely that the abridgement process left this one volume work quite concise; but sometimes out of context.
