Spinoza:The Philosopher And His Influence

Part 2: Spinoza’s Influence

     There are several famous writers and philosophers who have openly stated their admiration of Spinoza. And, again with different motives, Yovel and Israel both give examples of Spinoza’s influence in their books. With a focus on those influenced by Spinoza’s “philosophy of immanence”, Yovel names several influential thinkers and writers of the Enlightenment and beyond, such as: Kant, Hegel, Goethe, Heine, Marx, Neitzche, Freud, and Einstein. While focusing primarily on Spinoza’s role in the Radical Enlightenment, Israel sets out to prove, in this book and others he has written on the subject, that Spinoza was one of the most important philosophers of the Enlightenment because of his influence on important figures, such as: Bayle, D’Holback, Diderot, and even Thomas Paine. If one is to believe that both lists are accurate, then Spinoza’s influence was indeed wide-ranging and of much import to the thinkers who have helped shape our world. However, if there is still doubt, Spinoza’s influence on a few of these men is highly notable and shall be presented.

     Perhaps, the most pertinent name in the lists above to Americans is that of Albert Einstein (1879-1955). The German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity, and helped create the atom bomb (something he deeply regretted later). His family were non-observant Jews, and he attended a Catholic school as a child. After living in the United States for several years due to the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party, he finally became an American citizen in 1940. He, like Spinoza, understood the dangers of ignorance and intolerance, which might have led him toward some of his views; and, perhaps, was a contributing factor in his admiration of Spinoza. Additionally, he is quoted as saying: “I believe in Spinoza's God, who reveals Himself in the lawful harmony of the world, not in a God who concerns Himself with the fate and the doings of mankind... to Rabbi Herbert Goldstein (1929).” (goodreads.com)

     However, the most artistic expressions of admiration for Spinoza come from Heinrich Heine (1797-1856). He was a German poet and writer whose radical political views led to many of his works being banned by German authorities. He moved to France in 1831 and lived in Paris for the rest of his life. Heine was related (distantly) to the German revolutionary, Karl Marx, who admired his work. They spent time together in France after Marx moved there in 1843 to escape Prussian oppression of his work. Heine kept in contact with Marx, and even published some of his works in Marx’s journal Vorwärts, until Marx was deported to Belgium. Perhaps this, along with the study of Hegel’s philosophy, was how Marx became introduced to Spinoza, and became so enamored with his work that it is said that Marx would copy Spinoza into his notebooks. (wiki/Heinrich) At any rate, Spinoza’s influence on Heine is best, and most beautifully, shown through his own writing:

“{In Spinoza} we become conscious of a feeling such as pervades us at the sight of great Nature in her most life-like state of repose; we behold a forest of heaven-reaching thoughts whose blossoming topmost boughs are tossing like waves of the sea, whilst their immovable stems are rooted in the eternal earth. There is a peculiar, indescribable fragrance about the writings of Spinoza. We seem to breathe in them the air of the future.” (Heinrich Heine, Religion and Philosophy in German A Fragment)

     There are stories like these for all the men mentioned by Yovel and Israel. And, in a strange turn of events, the religion from which he was excommunicated now has many “secular Jews”, of which Yovel argues Spinoza was the first. He was a genius that far exceeded the time in which he lived. By now, hopefully, the picture of Spinoza’s far-reaching influence on the Enlightenment, and all modern thought, has become clear. It is a wonderful thing that history and philosophy are reexamining the importance of this man, who could be considered one of the all-time greats in his field.

     To answer Dr. Oliver’s inquiries, I would say that Spinoza’s claim that “All being is this-worldly and there is nothing beyond it..." is not a dogmatic claim, at least not in the sense that it is claimed without providing any evidence. Though, the quote itself must be interpreted as Spinoza meant it for us to see that he had given, what he considered, adequate evidence for this claim. For instance, in Nature’s God it seems apparent that many Enlightenment thinkers used ‘world’ and ‘universe’ interchangeably. Additionally, I think of the word ‘being’ in this claim to be synonymous with ‘existence’. So, with this word usage in mind, I would say that Spinoza thought that his theory of Substance Monism – the idea that there can be only one substance, which Spinoza called God, and everything else that seems to exist is simply modes (aspects) of the one substance – was the evidence that this claim was logically necessary. For, there can be nothing beyond the one substance, according to Spinoza. And, I must admit, I do find this idea persuasive.

 Here are some extra links about Spinoza, his philosophy, and his influence:

https://www.iep.utm.edu/spinoza/

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/spinoza/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benedict-de-Spinoza#ref281282

And, here are the blogs that I commented on for class.
http://athphil.blogspot.com/2018/04/mini-biography-of-alan-watts-final.html
http://athphil.blogspot.com/2018/04/psychology-and-religion.html

Also, I am going to Amsterdam this summer on a Study Abroad trip, and I'm going to try my best to see Spinoza's home/museum in The Hague and the famous statue of him in Amsterdam. :) 

I am glad to have met you all! And, I thoroughly enjoyed this class. It was awesome to spend time with some open-minded people! Thanks, Dr. Oliver!