***** "haha quasi atheist, stand for nothing fall for anything." What made him an atheist? I thought Spinoza's redirection of faith made him an original thinker.
Spinoza has helped me understand the importance of my unimportant life. When we wake up every morning, we sometimes ask ourselves, "why wake up, why not just stay in this comfortable bed?" Spinoza reminds us that our will is to pursue higher ambitions. He makes us all feel like gods though reminding us we are still men. "The Highest Activity a Human being can attain is learning for un derstanding, because to understand, is to be free" ~Spinoza
It would be interesting to know how he would have understood B.G.V theorem and kalam cosmological arguments! I suspect this new knowledge would effect his philosophical premises and out look a little. 🔎 🌍 ⬆️ 💥
My husband is an designer engineer and programmer. for him God is a mathematician and has a extra ordinary knowledge in science, because of the order of the universe
@@venusisalwaysabove he sure is a smart man but he never read or heard of Spinoza. It's just his instinct tells him that God is like that, because of how the universe was made and also based on His wisdom in the Bible
This theological basis led Eisntein to completely unjustifiably repudiate the development of quantum physics, simply because he thought it didn't satisfy his metaphysical views!
alytzara ish You’re shifting the burden of proof. If you are claiming the positive, you are the one who must provide the proof. That’s how it works in any good legal system; if I accuse you of murder, I am the one who must prove you are guilty. Imagine how unfair the judicial system would be if you had to prove yourself innocent. Thus, when discussing God, if you claim that God is real, it is not the atheist’s responsibility to prove God is false; it is the believer’s responsibility to prove God true.
@@thesoliloquist1940 Material comes first, ideas afterwards. Ideas are of course more important than pure material, but to claim that idea itself based upon nothing but pure human emotion (which again is a consequence of material, but it does not lead to the truth) to be the truth itself of morality is inherently wrong.
@@user-ep2my6bo2z i truly dont know how you got that from what i wrote (i also had to reread your poor paraphrasment of my meaning a few times to sort of get your comment) pls reread.. i am advocating we stick to the scientific method (a process which only legitimizes quantifiable "materials").. i am also pointing out how religions/"god" came about to begin with.. as well as how atheists are straying from science and recreating the same mistakes as then early religious councils have in their first stage.. Pls dont take my wording as antagonistic to you.. i am just at a loss as to how that was your comprehension of my words.. i am trying to formulate my words which have been in my mind for awhile into a straight forward message..
@@oxytocinplz4177 If you really want to conclude the existence of God on logic alone, I am afraid you will not. There are plentiful evidences but if you do not chose to open up your mind to the possibility that God lives, you might as well declare them for false and not credible enough. After all, religion is religion because it is based on faith, while science is science because it is based on logic and the cognitive functions of our minds. (What if there is something beyond that...something that simply cannot be understood by our reasoning. That's just a thought for you to wonder about since you seem like a very thoughtful person.) Anyway, I do not disagree with your explonation of why people believe in God, but true as it is, it is also lacking one important aspect - people who believe do so based on a personal experience with God, in a prayer, as an answer to one, in result of a miracle that cannot be explained otherwise or other. (Such miracles of all sorts are what I consider an evidence because I also have been a witness of some, but others, which might take your interest might be the accounts of lives of some saints (Pater Pio to give an example), or the apparition of Virgin Mary (try to look into the incident at Guadalupe and the painting on a piece of canvas). ) Some quotes which maybe more explain what I mean by this are "Faith is confidence in what we hope and assurance about what we do not see" , "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." and finally 'we do not believe because we understand, we understand because we believe'. While searching for evidences please try not to come from the point that God does not exist, do it from the point that he does, or at least might. You said that it is the job of the believers to prove the existence of the Lord to the one's who do not believe while comparing it to a murder case. I cannot help but to ask you a reverse question. If God exists and atheists declare him dead (unexistent), wouldn't it be their job to explain why? I just pointed that out to prove all situations can be looked at from several different angles. Still, I mean it is the job of believers (christians as far as I'm concerned) to spread the word He has given us (that's why I am writing all this :) also sorry it's so long, I greatly appreciate you're still reading this). I most probably cannot give you a proof you'd see as valid but there's someone who can. It's Him. Simple as that. Just ask for it, with hope that he is listening. I am sure of that as that is how I've come to believe. You see, I had been going to church since I was little and I might have considered God real, but if you came at me with scientific facts or any other arguments I'd give up on that idea fairly quickly. But there came a time in my life when I was in a tough spot and I kept thinking that if God existed he wouldn't let me go through this. Yet, it wasn't before I actually asked him to prove he's there and to help me, that things began to change. That might have been the first time that I actually prayed. And just to make things clear, I am not deriving the fact that He exists from just the external circumstances, but from the personal intimate experience. You have to live it to understand. There are many ways to understand things aside from logic. When someones relative dies you do not sympathise with them based on logic and rationality. That's a form of emotional understanding, but you still might not truly understand their pain unless you have been through something similar. And so it is with faith. It's a form of understanding, and you can only truly relate if you have some personal experience with God (not in the literal sense of meeting and shaking hands, but I hope you know what I am trying to say). So I just want to encourage you- give it a try! Try to open up your heart, maybe just crack it a little and pray! (Basicly just tell Him whatever you want, and know that He is listening). You set on a difficult journey to find God in a world he had created himself. In a way it's like a painter and the characters they have painted in a scenery. How could they find their author inside the picture? How could they find a trace of him? They are the trace and everything around them. And so just knowing that they are a part of the picture is as far as they can get, together with studying the technique and use of colour ;). And knowing that there is someone who is an author of it all. Thank you for reading this far. Stay curious, be blessed.
"Spinoza failed to understand what leads people to religion isn't just reason but far more importantly, emotion, belief, fear, and tradition" Anyone who has seriously read spinoza would never say this of him. Spinoza himself very well knows this aspect of human nature and thus says in his book, theologico political treatise "MEN would never be superstitious if they could govern all their circumstances by set rules, or if they were always favored by fortune; but being frequently driven into straits where rules are useless, and being often kept fluctuating pitiably between hope and fear by the uncertainty of fortune’s greedily coveted favors, they are consequently, for the most part, very prone to credulity. The human mind is readily swerved this way or that in times of doubt, especially when hope and fear are struggling for the mastery; though usually it is boastful, over-confident, and vain." He is quite pessimistic about "the multitude" and he thinks most people will not understand his works. To accuse him of the failure to recognise this is naivety at best and malice at worst.
Writing his book was a great undertaking, and that and the consequent arguments probably exhausted him. I like to imagine what would have happened if he had found a patron or benefactors or a group of peers able to support him and start developing a day-to-day structure around his philosophy - could have started a European movement of introspection and natural history, for example, with hooks for everyone to observe the world around them for a few minutes each day.
I agree with Blank Page. "If the way which I am pointing out as leading to this result seems exceedingly hard, it may nevertheless be discovered. Needs must it be hard, since it is seldom found. How would it be possible, if salvation were ready to our hand, and could be without great labor be found, that it should be by almost all men neglected? But all things majestic are as difficult as they are rare." -T P-III Baruch Spinoza
That kind of mistakes are absolutely unacceptable, they give completely misguided notions about the authors which are actually an excess. The video was fine until that part that says spinozas philosophy was a failure
This kind of thinking is a part of Buddist tradition for more than 2000 years, so Spinoza didn't invent anything new. It's just a matter of IQ tbh. You can't expect people just to leave their religion. They would get to an uncharted territory and a very few have the courage to really look for them selfs. More over out of those very few, very few are able to see. It takes dedication, practice and purity of mind. Spinoza was a Buddist and didn't even know it. :)
I had two semesters of philosophy in college and Spinoza was by far my favorite. Everything seems reasonable; there are no unbelievable assumptions, everything proceeds with a sort of mathematical logic based on principles and maxims that are pretty solid.
7:28 “Spinoza failed to understand - like so many philosophers before and since - that what leads people into religion isn’t just reason, but far more importantly, emotion, belief, fear and tradition” WRONG! Read the preface of ‘theological-political treatise’. Spinoza DID understand this and argued that people are susceptible to fear which religion uses as a means to drive people towards hope. He understood this entirely which is why he criticised religion: “It follows that superstition, like all other instances of hallucination and frenzy, is bound to assume very varied and unstable forms, and that, finally, it is sustained only by hope, hatred, anger and deceit. For it arises not from reason but from emotion, and emotion of the most powerful kind” ~Spinoza
I think the narrator means in regards to he failed to predict the gravity of it and the amount and extent of which. Which don't get me wrong, I find it just as likely he did, and he quite possibly predicted much like Nietzsche that his writings would ultimately pass his contemporaries by, and the most part it likely did. I think the herd is heavily unwilling to extend their feet into such deep waters and that's the reason personally.
After he was expelled from Amsterdam he lived in Rijnsburg near The Hague. My ancestors lived a stone throw away from Spinoza. Our village aswell as my ancestors stayed very strict reformed but we still maintain the house he lived in. I think this speaks volumes about his brilliant mind. They just fully restored it and turned it into a philosopical café where his work is discussed, so almost 400 years later his ideas are discussed on the grounds where he lived.
I don't have a great way to communicate how grateful I am for having easily accessible and comprehended translations of the great work these past philosophers left behind through creators like yourself and others. Thank you.
Really good summary of my favorite, by far, philosopher. But It seems to paint a portrait of Spinoza who is really anti-religion. Spinoza was more against the dogma than the religion, as he said of Jesus Christ he was a great philosopher :) He liked the message of Jesus, but not the interpretation done by the religious authority.
ASBDAU fnid Yeah I watched and you know it wasn't made by Spinoza right? I've read Spinoza and this video contains serious errors so please don't think that Spinoza is like the video says. He didn't believe in god
We read Spinoza in college humanities required course 1966. U of F. I took my education seriously then as now, not just a stepping stone. I stayed with philosophy but gave up on it as a major, due to practical considerations. I remember Spinoza fondly.
Thank you for making the great philosophers and their philosophies more accessible and enjoyable to the average person. Because of your films, I have broadened my education and horizons many years after graduating from college. Educational and entertaining...Outstanding!!!
Christopher Hernandez I think we all can arrive at that thought or feeling - even if submersed in certain religions beliefs or customs. Anyway, that feel of god being all arises, too, from many differente sources like thiking about cuasality, shamanism, psychedelic experiences, or just by believing other people (suppose someone that believes in what Spinoza said, literally, because of reading it) The fact that we refer to Spinoza is just becase he wrote it down and someone read it. Many people have many thoughts, but the people that put those in ways that can last and be referenced are who are remembered.
Luke Bradley The idea was long ago before Spinoza, Sufism Islam has this point of view ( Ibnu Al Arabi) , Vedanta ( Hinduism) philosophy also, Spinoza put it together and made it understandable for modern time
Christopher Hernandez Spinoza would be overjoyed that you discovered these things on your own. His philosophy was always supposed to be the truth, accessible to anyone who strove to apply reason to themselves and the universe. You reaching the same or similar conclusions adds greater legitimacy to Spinoza's ideas and his assertion that his philosophy is logical truth.
Spinoza is interesting and his book " Ethics" might have some tangible concepts to live by but the book of Psalms will take a life time to understand and will be more useful in your daily life.
Ed Sanjenis After reading „Ethics“, as well as „Practical Philosophy“ ( Gilles Deleuze ), and the book of Psalms, the entire ( orthodox ) bible in general, I’d like to disagree. Examining the work of Spinoza is far more interesting and enlightening, although studying the bible is, in my opinion at least, important, too.
I strongly appreciate your channel, having binge-watched most of your channels. I especially thank you for covering Spinoza. He is in my opinion one of the very best, yet under-represented. Thank you for your time and clarity.
I was always curious as to what life is and who is god? and after failing to get any answers from my elders, I started reading about different religions. What captivated me the most was Hinduism, especially when I read about what scientists and physicists had said about Geeta and Hinduism. What Spinoza is saying is the essence of Hinduism with all the good things that come with religion. I think I'm on a right path.
+Doctor Well... The force has been compared to religion many times. I don't, however, think it fits Spinoza's (or Leibniz') religion very well at all - at least not more than it fits other kinds of religion. In fact the arch types in Star Wars (Luke, Obi-wan etc.) are more like characters from for instance the bible, and the good-vs-bad / dark-vs-light element of Starwars also fit better into "ordinary" religions.
+soslothful Yes, you can stop your search for divinity, sit down, relax and smoke a cigarette in silent bliss. Let it be known - the search has ended - the TH-cam Gaming Channel has spoken.
Everyone should study both philosophy & the Bible, even though both can be very difficult to understand sometimes. Both subjects should be required all throughout high school & college. It truly helps build & fortify the intellect.
From the first comment below, I see you should have said everyone should have to study the Bible and truth found in Spinoza's ethics specifically. Aristotle Plato seem to have influenced new testament text via Paul the Apostle to some extent.
@@graylyhen9490faith and hope are similar. It feels good to the soul perhaps but it is not anywhere close to certainty. If you only knew his opinion on a religion that gave us the prince of darkness.
It is so interesting that i have through experience of life came to the understanding that everything that exists is a part of God and my mindset and way of thinking is very aligned with the stoic and spinozism mindset, but only recently i have found out about these philosophies existing outside of my own head. It's just that now i have a word to describe what i believe about the world around me and within me. And i truly think that this kind of a mindset can really bring peace of mind, at least it has on some level done it for me. It fills me full of amazement about the world when i find such wisdom like this that so well describes my beliefs and understanding of the world and gives me new insight on things and helps me grow as a person. I hope that whoever sees this can also be filled with amazement and use this wisdom as a means to grow!
I must say, this video was so refreshing and Great (yes, the G with a capital) that it made me buy a book on Spinoza's Ethics. Not that I am a very deeply religious man. On the contrary, it's the opposite. I particularly felt the same way Spinoza said. It's a very bold commitment of him to say this out on the seventeenth century. Very radical and uncompromising. It's a pity that none understood him in his time, but this is what the internet about isn't it ? Sharing and spreading the idea.... most importantly the correct,right and ideal ideas free of any personal prejudice and any erstwhile gain. A coercive combined effort in spreading a stoic idea of inner harmony and becoming wise and humble in the process. Thank you The School of Lie for creating such beautiful and knowledgeable videos.
I think you should know that "Spanish Peninsula" does not exist. You mean "Iberian Peninsula", which includes Portugal (where Spinoza's family was from) and Spain.
@@Aryeh487 If u follow the idea of Spinoza's God in Ethics u will find the same points on anyone who decides to live Quantum Consciously using Quantum mechanics as the foundation for such a religion. I think it comes out of the idea of one substance proposed by both. The difference between that God and a Judeo-Christian God of a few seemingly contradictory religion is war. War fragments the consciousness and led to the rise of the dual nature of God as we understand it. The truth is every religion has been spread by military forces and and gradually lost empathy.
Thought provoking teetering the line of insanity. His philosophical musings got him into hot water. I will have to read "Ethica" in both the original and the English. Thanks for the Cliffnotes version.👍🏻
I was once a strong hearted atheist. The world is so wonderfully beautiful that I was upset I had to consider myself an atheist for a long time. However now I have finally found a balance of god and the universe. Thank you Spinoza.
Absolutely fascinating and helpful summary. While I personally am comfortable with a more traditional religious life, I also find Spinoza's view of the Divine not only helpful, but beautiful. That Divinity isn't far away in the clouds, or in any physical body, but around and among us. The Apostle Paul even echoes this when, working off of the stoics and Seneca, he speaks to the people that in God "we live, and move, and have our being." Perhaps bridging the gap between Spinoza and more traditional religious forms isn't impossible!
I second that. One of the saints somewhere wrote that the believer must grow to "desire whatever will be", a wise concept Spinoza also arrived at. He's got good points, for sure, and took valid shots at some of the blindness and stubbornness that threatens religion as it is thrust into the role of cultural institution.
My goodness: Spinoza perfectly articulates what my belief in God is. I too am not an atheist, but do identify with the God many people believe in. Religions is a means of controlling society, especially in traditional countries. I'm currently studying to become a life coach where there is great emphasis on balancing the body, mind and spirit. While my neurodiverse mind was wandering yesterday, I was reminded of the Trinity: the Father (mind), the Son (body), and the Holy (Spirit). This indicated to me that the origins of Catholicism is based on the same belief. Spinoza rejected the need for of prayer; in a coaching workshop today, my ADHD mind made a connection between people's need to often pause in order to be fully focused, with prayer, for example, the Rosary . Pausing isn't an easy habit to remember to execute, but praying at specific times I believe is.
I have realized some actual fundamental truths (given what I know at this point in 2021). - The universe spent billions of years forging the atoms which compose our bodies. - Even though we are made of similar parts, the combinations are all unique and you could travel to the ends of the universe (if it does end) and never see the same combination again. - Natural laws cannot be broken, unlike spiritual, or man's law. Without external assistance I simply cannot make myself able to fly or breathe indefinitely underwater. - Life is being welcomed into this universe in order to experience this universe. It's a trip, I don't know if any type of consciousness remains after death and I won't calculate on it happening. So I seem to believe I should make the most of my time while I'm here. - Adding spiritually, and emotionally loaded words to the process of learning, and the scientific method can yield amazing feelings which seem to be helpful with keeping the irrational parts of the mind in sync with the rational. Another way of saying this is that there is social utility in using these concepts to express how the universe works that can tickle a part of our senses in special ways encouraging us more towards science. - The scientific method can justify itself purely by the results that it produces and it's ability to predict future events.
I am reaching an understanding of this more and more each day. I do not share my thoughts, except for with my 17 yr old and he is required by me to find his own path and beliefs. I do not challenge people's belief systems. I quietly exist with my understanding of things.
Povilas Račkauskas spinoza conceived one and eternal substance i.e. god. in hindu concept you will found a thousands of god. even the term 'god' has three god viz generator ~ brahma, operator ~ vishnu and destroyer ~ the mighty shiva. in what way you re saying it identical ? those modes of god with infinite attributes ? we all re part of them. do a integration of everything of us, everything in universe then you ll get that eternal one substance that is god. everything that exist is 'in' god. you remember the implication of word 'in' here. i took an interest because i am a hindu. plz correct me if i am wrong.
Hi, Ashwani Kumar! Let me start of by saying that I'm not not a Hindu. Whit that said, I have a deep interest in all religions and I have read about them. Now, I think that the best thing for me to do is to drop you these links instead of trying to explain it in my own words :) (note that Brahman and Brahma are two different concepts) I'm hoping to hear your response. Link 1. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahman Link 2. hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/117/is-hinduism-strictly-polytheistic-or-are-the-gods-considered-to-be-eventually-on/875#875
Actually Ashwani Kumar, he's right (I come from a Hindu background myself). As with any religion, there are varying philosophies within Hinduism, the predominant one being Advaita Vedanta which is practically identical with Spinoza's writings (which is funny because he didn't have any prior exposure to Hindu philosophies himself). While there are many gods in Hinduism that are manifestations or representations of various attributes of the universe, the Hindu concept of God is actually explained by the concept of "Brahman" (not Brahma who is part of the traditional trinity). Brahman in simplistic terms is the universe itself, it is all that exists; the ultimate reality. There is no separation between anything or anyone in Hinduism but rather it states that all there is, is what is. Any notions of separation or individualism stems from the ego which perpetuates the "maya" or illusion of the world most of us live in. Freedom from this illusion through enlightenment is what is known as "Moksha" or "Nirvana". Hinduism actually does not say that we are "in" or "a part of" anything. Instead it says that all that exists is God (or Brahman), and therefore we are God. This is not a statement of arrogance as it may be in other monotheistic religions but rather a statement of complete humility as you are giving up your ego identity and only identifying with the singular self. This is why even the Indian greeting of "Namaste" actually means "I acknowledge your divinity". This can be a pretty complex idea, but it is actually extremely close to Spinoza's view of the world. Just sayin'. =)
thank you very much for your detailed explanation. i am not very much exposed to indian philosophy. i need to start it soon. BTW if you guys have any recommendation for me for western philosophy. any lectures or courses online. because it is very tough to comprehend all these illegible stuff. i will be very thankful to you guys.
hello Povilas Račkauskas , my apologies ! i am noob in philosophy and i really don't have any idea about hindu philosophy. just replied you with my common notions. if you can do a favour to me then please help me out in learning western philosophy. it has become really tough task for me. for now i am reading this book. A Short History of Modern Philosophy: From Descartes to Wittgenstein (Routledge Classics) it is said that it is good for beginners but i am still having problems. and please tell me any forums where i can spell out my confusions. thank you so much guys for taking interest in my reply which is having inadequate ideas.
Loved Benedictus de Spinoza ever since I read the first words I laid my eyes on. It completely says how I think and what is right. Not because I'm dutch though 😉 Thanks for posting this great video! I never knew he Love Seneca.. I love his thoughts also... Seneca deeply understood the stupidy of mankind and thought of himself as being a world citizen in the first place. Now I see the connection!
i was in a bad mood but as soon as i saw your video in my sub box ( yeah it actually worked this time ! ) i giggled ,shows how fun learning is and also how awesome this channel is !
Am I crazy or does Spinoza's idea of religion resemble eastern ideals of religion? I'm not a expert on either subject (Spinoza or Eastern Religion), but it does resemble a kind of Daoism in my opinion...
supernova808 thanks for sharing this. Very interesting The Dutch also colonized Indonesia, in which avaita vedenta set foot to if I remember correctly.
Yhea, it has some similarities, *but thats not the point*. Spionza's thinking isn't religion, it's philosophy. Daoism doesn't work with logic but with little phrases you can either believe or not, so it's absolutely incomparable to a philosophical system. It isn't just enough to speak the truth like some prophet or "wise man". If it's not an obvious fact, you must prove it or make it testable, otherwise it's nothing more than talk, and that's what most eastern "philosophy" (and post-modern western "philosophy") mostly is; talking; twaddle about the universe and life.
Rαido Diecry if you think daoism is about little phrases then you might not be in the position to talk about it ;). Btw philosophy is about more then just logic. A lot of questions that are being addressed in philosophy transcend logic and cannot be answered with logic alone.
It is always a fascinationg moment when you realise that you actually always had the same thoughts as some great philosopher, who has already spoken it out since decates
It's a strange emotion I feel in such moments but an insanely beautiful one. I can only describe it as trancendental, modestly proud and incredibly wholesome. They literally give me Life :D
Fantastic! I did this twice. Kind of slow in the head, but fast on repeat. Shared this with a few friends. It should have been all. I'll go wonder why ..
I'd love to see videos on the following philosophers. Aquinas, Anselm, Descartes, Pascal, Berkeley, Leibniz, Locke, Kant, Kierkegaard, Anscombe, and MacIntyre.
drsuessre14 me too but it seems like their focus is more on how to live a good life. most of the philosophers that you mentioned focus on things that are a little bit more analytical.
Jerry Reyes correct me if I am wrong, but the difference you point to seems true only for Anselm, Descartes, Berkeley, and Leibniz. And even then, Descartes' "Passions" and Leibniz's "Monadology" both deal in how to live life. I definitely could be wrong in how I'm conceiving of things, though. Let me know!
drsuessre14 what aquinas and kant are known for are not really focused on life, neither is descartes. Sure he has stuff like that but thats not why they are important.
Jerry Reyes Aren't Aquinas and Kant known for and super influential regarding two major systems of ethics - natural law and deontology? Isn't ethics about life?
drsuessre14 Yeah but thats not what they were influential for. In philosophy, no one really talks about deontology, they talk about Kant's Critique of pure reason. I dont know much about Aquinas, but what I have heard from him seems to be more analytic than anything.
I think I've been practicing this way of thinking (intuitively) for quite a while. I have read Ethics before, but very difficult to take in. After seeing this from Alain de Botton, I might have to read it again.
+Steven Feldstein Thanks, for letting School of Life know. Also, do you agree that while the ch in Boruch is close, it is too soft. The School of Life is Swiss so maybe that's how they say ot there. Anyway, other than that, wonderful stuff.
I have viewed scores of your wonderfully concise and deeply penetrating videos since I first discovered School of Life. only a couple weeks ago. They are all pretty much perfect in my estimation. But this one, for the first time,, concludes with a denunciation of the very subject of the video. This denunciation is in the voice of another philosopher who is unnamed. Compared to all the others it seemed incongruous at the very least. Perhaps Spinoza is less effective than he might have been because we are less by far than we should have been. Even so, I gained many valuable insights, which was your intent, and I thank you for it.
I agree with above. What reigion 'offers' to the individual has nothing to do with either the truth of its claims, nor its morality (which is often disgusting in the big three monotheisms). Spinoza wished to replace those aspects (being claimed factuality and compromised morals), which has nothing do to with a sense of belonging or ritual or any of the other nonsense mentioned at the end of this video. Mentioning those whole-heartedly misses the point.
Personally, I thought it was a beautiful irony that he wasn't able to apply his own philosophy of acceptance to the stubborn ways of humans and their outdated traditions. Excellent videos.
it is clear he was very pacifistic and truly believed that nothing could be solved with aggression and that his probably what makes it seem ironic that he could not agree with the traditions and rituals of the church. However, it certainly seems to me that this is a problem with the limitation of language and how we currently communicate. I mean this in the sense that we seem to not be looking passed the fact that he did not conform with the religious traditions of his time. We seem to stop there and just believe this point to be evidence that he contradicts his own perspectives. But i feel our sometimes (not always, but very commonly), limited grip on language and, specifically our fixated and stubborn ideas about certain words, eg(sex, love, religion), has led us to misinterpret his intended ideas and arguments about the church. Just because he did not support the rituals and dogma and strict interpretations (of scriptures) does not mean that he ceased to live by his own ideas. Maybe to him loving everything the world has to offer did not mean abiding by clearly corrupt and inefficient rules. Kind of like when you have an addict in the family and cut him off the drug. Espinoza's "tough love" or harsh and honest interpretations about certain customs were in the end trying to realign the human psyche with the universal order (illustrated in this video). After all, how can there be any progress without change?
Spinoza knew is philosophical path was not for everyone. Just consider the last sentence of the Ethics: The road to these things that I have pointed out now seems very hard, but it can be found. And of course something that is found so rarely is bound to be hard. For if salvation were ready to hand and could be found without great effort, how could it come about that almost everyone neglects it? But excellence is as difficult as it is rare
I couldn't have put it more elegantly! Anonymity of the critic at the end really bothered me. While I understand and respect the fact that everyone holds a different perspective, I believe it is equally important to respect the idea that we may not have understood the philosophers correctly or completely, as is, perhaps, the central theme of the history of philosophy. Critique is necessary, my concern is only regarding the platform. Many amateurs begin with this channel. For their understanding, identification of and disclaimer about the critique is essential. Regarding the critique, I think it ignores the personal impact component of Spinoza's God. While the outside world, Spinoza tells us, is the God no doubt, but the inside world is the same God as well - and that includes all your feelings, emotions, rationality, and instincts. I think this is as spiritually aware as a person can get. Also, it is not important how long it takes for the majority to adopt an idea. Approval by majority has hardly served as an evidence of wisdom in history.
I figured out on my own, the same thing he figured out, without any prior exposure to his work or existence, and from an entirely different upbringing. I only just recently learned of his existence, and am only just starting to learn about him.
+The School of Life My memory's getting weak,so just for curiosity,what's the name of the guy in a hat next to Spinoza's statue in the video? (In the part of those who were influenced)
I felt like Spinoza when I turned 14, then I knew about him after decades, If I had never felt that logic was the essence of life early on I would never have turned away from god, superstition, even if I had read his complete works. He made an impact on me however as I marvel at his audacity to challenge so many crippling beliefs in an age where conformity was a necessity of life.
I do yoga and I meditate and for years I have spoke about my beliefs with a friend. Yesterday, she said her philosophy teacher described my exact beliefs as being a panteist. I was SHOCKED
fynes leigh You have to realize that people will follow religion or God’s because it gives them comfort and security. They wasted their lives for the security that they will go to what so called “Heaven” in which in a realistic perspective they will never ever see.
Commissar Jacobin Spinoza’s philosophy seems very much like that of the Deists who were around at about the same time, the eighteenth century. I realised I was a Deist after reading Richard Dawkins’s The God Delusion. This is what I put on the census form.
@magic nothing is out of god included its negators reality is not a finite system . it has no limits and has never had a beginning and its understanding either
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Spinoza had it all: the balls, brains, creativity, and a genuinely gentle nature.
***** "haha quasi atheist, stand for nothing fall for anything."
What made him an atheist? I thought Spinoza's redirection of faith made him an original thinker.
+Pendejo Spinoza is God lol
+Pendejo Spinoza is God lol
+Chris Handy (Cold Cookie) Please.
pendejo
Spinoza has helped me understand the importance of my unimportant life. When we wake up every morning, we sometimes ask ourselves, "why wake up, why not just stay in this comfortable bed?" Spinoza reminds us that our will is to pursue higher ambitions. He makes us all feel like gods though reminding us we are still men.
"The Highest Activity a Human being can attain is learning for un derstanding,
because to understand, is to be free" ~Spinoza
It would be interesting to know how he would have understood B.G.V theorem and kalam cosmological arguments! I suspect this new knowledge would effect his philosophical premises and out look a little. 🔎 🌍 ⬆️ 💥
A very similar quote can be found by Marcus Aurelius in Meditations. I recommend the read.
@@logandelehanty780 Meditations is my bible 🖤
Spinoza the herald of modernity and moderation.
We are the universe, experiences itself subjectively
Facts: Albert Eisntein did believe in the God of Spinoza.
My husband is an designer engineer and programmer. for him God is a mathematician and has a extra ordinary knowledge in science, because of the order of the universe
@@vanessac0382 he must be smart and noble, did he read spinoza ?
@@venusisalwaysabove he sure is a smart man but he never read or heard of Spinoza. It's just his instinct tells him that God is like that, because of how the universe was made and also based on His wisdom in the Bible
This theological basis led Eisntein to completely unjustifiably repudiate the development of quantum physics, simply because he thought it didn't satisfy his metaphysical views!
@@vanessac0382 aha! I see, you are very lucky to have such man, wish you yhr good life :)
I've always said I'm an atheist. Today I realised I believed in Spinoza's God all along!
alytzara ish You’re shifting the burden of proof. If you are claiming the positive, you are the one who must provide the proof. That’s how it works in any good legal system; if I accuse you of murder, I am the one who must prove you are guilty. Imagine how unfair the judicial system would be if you had to prove yourself innocent. Thus, when discussing God, if you claim that God is real, it is not the atheist’s responsibility to prove God is false; it is the believer’s responsibility to prove God true.
@@oxytocinplz4177 you nailed it
@@thesoliloquist1940 Material comes first, ideas afterwards. Ideas are of course more important than pure material, but to claim that idea itself based upon nothing but pure human emotion (which again is a consequence of material, but it does not lead to the truth) to be the truth itself of morality is inherently wrong.
@@user-ep2my6bo2z i truly dont know how you got that from what i wrote (i also had to reread your poor paraphrasment of my meaning a few times to sort of get your comment) pls reread.. i am advocating we stick to the scientific method (a process which only legitimizes quantifiable "materials").. i am also pointing out how religions/"god" came about to begin with.. as well as how atheists are straying from science and recreating the same mistakes as then early religious councils have in their first stage..
Pls dont take my wording as antagonistic to you.. i am just at a loss as to how that was your comprehension of my words.. i am trying to formulate my words which have been in my mind for awhile into a straight forward message..
@@oxytocinplz4177 If you really want to conclude the existence of God on logic alone, I am afraid you will not. There are plentiful evidences but if you do not chose to open up your mind to the possibility that God lives, you might as well declare them for false and not credible enough. After all, religion is religion because it is based on faith, while science is science because it is based on logic and the cognitive functions of our minds. (What if there is something beyond that...something that simply cannot be understood by our reasoning. That's just a thought for you to wonder about since you seem like a very thoughtful person.)
Anyway, I do not disagree with your explonation of why people believe in God, but true as it is, it is also lacking one important aspect - people who believe do so based on a personal experience with God, in a prayer, as an answer to one, in result of a miracle that cannot be explained otherwise or other. (Such miracles of all sorts are what I consider an evidence because I also have been a witness of some, but others, which might take your interest might be the accounts of lives of some saints (Pater Pio to give an example), or the apparition of Virgin Mary (try to look into the incident at Guadalupe and the painting on a piece of canvas). ) Some quotes which maybe more explain what I mean by this are "Faith is confidence in what we hope and assurance about what we do not see" , "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." and finally 'we do not believe because we understand, we understand because we believe'.
While searching for evidences please try not to come from the point that God does not exist, do it from the point that he does, or at least might. You said that it is the job of the believers to prove the existence of the Lord to the one's who do not believe while comparing it to a murder case. I cannot help but to ask you a reverse question. If God exists and atheists declare him dead (unexistent), wouldn't it be their job to explain why? I just pointed that out to prove all situations can be looked at from several different angles. Still, I mean it is the job of believers (christians as far as I'm concerned) to spread the word He has given us (that's why I am writing all this :) also sorry it's so long, I greatly appreciate you're still reading this).
I most probably cannot give you a proof you'd see as valid but there's someone who can. It's Him. Simple as that. Just ask for it, with hope that he is listening. I am sure of that as that is how I've come to believe. You see, I had been going to church since I was little and I might have considered God real, but if you came at me with scientific facts or any other arguments I'd give up on that idea fairly quickly. But there came a time in my life when I was in a tough spot and I kept thinking that if God existed he wouldn't let me go through this. Yet, it wasn't before I actually asked him to prove he's there and to help me, that things began to change. That might have been the first time that I actually prayed. And just to make things clear, I am not deriving the fact that He exists from just the external circumstances, but from the personal intimate experience. You have to live it to understand. There are many ways to understand things aside from logic. When someones relative dies you do not sympathise with them based on logic and rationality. That's a form of emotional understanding, but you still might not truly understand their pain unless you have been through something similar. And so it is with faith. It's a form of understanding, and you can only truly relate if you have some personal experience with God (not in the literal sense of meeting and shaking hands, but I hope you know what I am trying to say). So I just want to encourage you- give it a try! Try to open up your heart, maybe just crack it a little and pray! (Basicly just tell Him whatever you want, and know that He is listening).
You set on a difficult journey to find God in a world he had created himself. In a way it's like a painter and the characters they have painted in a scenery. How could they find their author inside the picture? How could they find a trace of him? They are the trace and everything around them. And so just knowing that they are a part of the picture is as far as they can get, together with studying the technique and use of colour ;). And knowing that there is someone who is an author of it all. Thank you for reading this far. Stay curious, be blessed.
"Spinoza failed to understand what leads people to religion isn't just reason but far more importantly, emotion, belief, fear, and tradition"
Anyone who has seriously read spinoza would never say this of him. Spinoza himself very well knows this aspect of human nature and thus says in his book, theologico political treatise
"MEN would never be superstitious if they could govern all their circumstances by set rules, or if they were always favored by fortune; but being frequently driven into straits where rules are useless, and being often kept fluctuating pitiably between hope and fear by the uncertainty of fortune’s greedily coveted favors, they are consequently, for the most part, very prone to credulity. The human mind is readily swerved this way or that in times of doubt, especially when hope and fear are struggling for the mastery; though usually it is boastful, over-confident, and vain."
He is quite pessimistic about "the multitude" and he thinks most people will not understand his works. To accuse him of the failure to recognise this is naivety at best and malice at worst.
Writing his book was a great undertaking, and that and the consequent arguments probably exhausted him. I like to imagine what would have happened if he had found a patron or benefactors or a group of peers able to support him and start developing a day-to-day structure around his philosophy - could have started a European movement of introspection and natural history, for example, with hooks for everyone to observe the world around them for a few minutes each day.
Blank Page I felt the exact same thing.. the narrator did poorly there.
I agree with Blank Page.
"If the way which I am pointing out as leading to this result seems exceedingly hard, it may nevertheless be discovered. Needs must it be hard, since it is seldom found. How would it be possible, if salvation were ready to our hand, and could be without great labor be found, that it should be by almost all men neglected? But all things majestic are as difficult as they are rare." -T P-III Baruch Spinoza
That kind of mistakes are absolutely unacceptable, they give completely misguided notions about the authors which are actually an excess. The video was fine until that part that says spinozas philosophy was a failure
This kind of thinking is a part of Buddist tradition for more than 2000 years, so Spinoza didn't invent anything new. It's just a matter of IQ tbh. You can't expect people just to leave their religion. They would get to an uncharted territory and a very few have the courage to really look for them selfs. More over out of those very few, very few are able to see. It takes dedication, practice and purity of mind. Spinoza was a Buddist and didn't even know it. :)
I had two semesters of philosophy in college and Spinoza was by far my favorite. Everything seems reasonable; there are no unbelievable assumptions, everything proceeds with a sort of mathematical logic based on principles and maxims that are pretty solid.
7:28 “Spinoza failed to understand - like so many philosophers before and since - that what leads people into religion isn’t just reason, but far more importantly, emotion, belief, fear and tradition”
WRONG! Read the preface of ‘theological-political treatise’. Spinoza DID understand this and argued that people are susceptible to fear which religion uses as a means to drive people towards hope. He understood this entirely which is why he criticised religion:
“It follows that superstition, like all other instances of hallucination and frenzy, is bound to assume very varied and unstable forms, and that, finally, it is sustained only by hope, hatred, anger and deceit. For it arises not from reason but from emotion, and emotion of the most powerful kind” ~Spinoza
I think the narrator means in regards to he failed to predict the gravity of it and the amount and extent of which. Which don't get me wrong, I find it just as likely he did, and he quite possibly predicted much like Nietzsche that his writings would ultimately pass his contemporaries by, and the most part it likely did.
I think the herd is heavily unwilling to extend their feet into such deep waters and that's the reason personally.
After he was expelled from Amsterdam he lived in Rijnsburg near The Hague. My ancestors lived a stone throw away from Spinoza. Our village aswell as my ancestors stayed very strict reformed but we still maintain the house he lived in. I think this speaks volumes about his brilliant mind. They just fully restored it and turned it into a philosopical café where his work is discussed, so almost 400 years later his ideas are discussed on the grounds where he lived.
sounds like a nice guy.
He was on point
He actually bullied me in high school
According to Steven Nadler’s book on Spinoza, he was a sexist
Nicky Duff we should all be sexist. Women shouldn’t vote
@@actualideas8078 lol
This channel changed my life. I felt certain emotions I never thought I would feel. For that I am eternally grateful.
Vince Michael Tam Yeah me too
Same
This is a gorgeous comment.
Same here brother ... :)
i had a feeling once...
I don't have a great way to communicate how grateful I am for having easily accessible and comprehended translations of the great work these past philosophers left behind through creators like yourself and others. Thank you.
Spinoza is not forgotten, far from it in The Netherlands.
Really good summary of my favorite, by far, philosopher. But It seems to paint a portrait of Spinoza who is really anti-religion. Spinoza was more against the dogma than the religion, as he said of Jesus Christ he was a great philosopher :)
He liked the message of Jesus, but not the interpretation done by the religious authority.
You are right!
But umm Spinoza was an atheist...
ASBDAU fnid Yeah I watched and you know it wasn't made by Spinoza right? I've read Spinoza and this video contains serious errors so please don't think that Spinoza is like the video says. He didn't believe in god
Martin Zuleta - Yes he did. A fuzzy, ethereal everywhere-at-once God, but a God nonetheless... LOL. And Spinoza was a fan of Jesus.
@@martinzuleta9517 what are errors in the video ? Spinoza was Pantheist ( Google it up kid )
You need to pay attention to the scholars.
Reading Spinoza thoroughly changed my outlook on life. Thank you School of Life for depicting his work so concisely and beautifully.
What a terrific video ... my dad was Dutch and now I'm even more proud of my heritage watching this video of Baruch Spinoza. I'm a "Spinozan" now.
We read Spinoza in college humanities required course 1966. U of F. I took my education seriously then as now, not just a stepping stone. I stayed with philosophy but gave up on it as a major, due to practical considerations. I remember Spinoza fondly.
Thank you for making the great philosophers and their
philosophies more accessible and enjoyable to the
average person. Because of your films, I have broadened
my education and horizons many years after graduating
from college. Educational and entertaining...Outstanding!!!
What films?
I had the same thought and never knew this guy nor his philosophy
Christopher Hernandez I think we all can arrive at that thought or feeling - even if submersed in certain religions beliefs or customs. Anyway, that feel of god being all arises, too, from many differente sources like thiking about cuasality, shamanism, psychedelic experiences, or just by believing other people (suppose someone that believes in what Spinoza said, literally, because of reading it)
The fact that we refer to Spinoza is just becase he wrote it down and someone read it. Many people have many thoughts, but the people that put those in ways that can last and be referenced are who are remembered.
Me too. I simply makes sense.
Christopher Hernandez The really do underestimate Spinoza in history. Spinoza's ideas are timeless.
Luke Bradley
The idea was long ago before Spinoza, Sufism Islam has this point of view ( Ibnu Al Arabi) , Vedanta ( Hinduism) philosophy also, Spinoza put it together and made it understandable for modern time
Christopher Hernandez Spinoza would be overjoyed that you discovered these things on your own. His philosophy was always supposed to be the truth, accessible to anyone who strove to apply reason to themselves and the universe. You reaching the same or similar conclusions adds greater legitimacy to Spinoza's ideas and his assertion that his philosophy is logical truth.
The more i watch school of life videos equals the more reassurance importance of unlearn concepts and arranged ideas. Love this channel 💫
Spinoza changed my life, no doubt he was one of a kind. Thanks for everything.
I ordered the book Ethics after watching this video. Totally worth it.
Do you recommend it to me then.
Spinoza is interesting and his book " Ethics" might have some tangible concepts to live by but the book of Psalms will take a life time to understand and will be more useful in your daily life.
Ed Sanjenis After reading „Ethics“, as well as „Practical Philosophy“ ( Gilles Deleuze ), and the book of Psalms, the entire ( orthodox ) bible in general, I’d like to disagree. Examining the work of Spinoza is far more interesting and enlightening, although studying the bible is, in my opinion at least, important, too.
Until Part V, you won’t know why it’s called Ethics.
Ethics itself is rather short, condensed, highly criptic.
Free at project Guttenberg.
Buy one of the books trying to explain it.
I strongly appreciate your channel, having binge-watched most of your channels. I especially thank you for covering Spinoza. He is in my opinion one of the very best, yet under-represented.
Thank you for your time and clarity.
I've been reading Spinozas books and biographies for months he is now one of my biggest influencial figures!
What do you think of this response? I'm really curious to know
THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm studying him for The Enlightenment in history and couldn't find any good information until I watched this!
I feel like every video you are releasing is gradually changing my life and giving me more and more insight by the day. I could not be more grateful.
Love thinkers like Spinoza...changes my life every time I get to another layer in reason
I really appreciate this channel it brings clarity, exposure abt philosophers. There are less sources working on philosophy.
I was always curious as to what life is and who is god? and after failing to get any answers from my elders, I started reading about different religions.
What captivated me the most was Hinduism, especially when I read about what scientists and physicists had said about Geeta and Hinduism.
What Spinoza is saying is the essence of Hinduism with all the good things that come with religion. I think I'm on a right path.
Spinoza would regard Hindu thought as superstition
@@TheGuiltsOfUs which thoughts exactly
In a way, it almost sounds like Spinoza's idea of God is like the Force
+Doctor Yes, that is pantheism.
+Doctor I think the Force probably comes from this idea.
+Doctor Well... The force has been compared to religion many times. I don't, however, think it fits Spinoza's (or Leibniz') religion very well at all - at least not more than it fits other kinds of religion. In fact the arch types in Star Wars (Luke, Obi-wan etc.) are more like characters from for instance the bible, and the good-vs-bad / dark-vs-light element of Starwars also fit better into "ordinary" religions.
RatherGeekyStuff Great, just great! The identity of Spinoza as a Jedi was been an elite secret for centuries. Now you told everyone.
+soslothful Yes, you can stop your search for divinity, sit down, relax and smoke a cigarette in silent bliss. Let it be known - the search has ended - the TH-cam Gaming Channel has spoken.
Spinoza was awesome.... The greatest of all the philosophers.
Gets me everytime, all his works bro I swear everytime I read it it breings me to tears
Conocía poco de Spinoza, ahora tengo el interés de leer más sobre él y su libro, gracias me parece muy bueno tu vídeo
What a beautiful tribute! You've done wonderfully! Thank you for this great work!
Everyone should study both philosophy & the Bible, even though both can be very difficult to understand sometimes. Both subjects should be required all throughout high school & college. It truly helps build & fortify the intellect.
Catholic theology comes from Greek philosophy and Hebrew religion and became the Catholic faith and tradition. Philosophy and faith are inseparable
From the first comment below, I see you should have said everyone should have to study the Bible and truth found in Spinoza's ethics specifically.
Aristotle Plato seem to have influenced new testament text via Paul the Apostle to some extent.
@@graylyhen9490faith and hope are similar. It feels good to the soul perhaps but it is not anywhere close to certainty. If you only knew his opinion on a religion that gave us the prince of darkness.
Rest in peace 🙏
Baruch Spinoza
24 November 1632 ~
21 February 1677⚘
It is so interesting that i have through experience of life came to the understanding that everything that exists is a part of God and my mindset and way of thinking is very aligned with the stoic and spinozism mindset, but only recently i have found out about these philosophies existing outside of my own head. It's just that now i have a word to describe what i believe about the world around me and within me. And i truly think that this kind of a mindset can really bring peace of mind, at least it has on some level done it for me.
It fills me full of amazement about the world when i find such wisdom like this that so well describes my beliefs and understanding of the world and gives me new insight on things and helps me grow as a person.
I hope that whoever sees this can also be filled with amazement and use this wisdom as a means to grow!
I must say, this video was so refreshing and Great (yes, the G with a capital) that it made me buy a book on Spinoza's Ethics. Not that I am a very deeply religious man. On the contrary, it's the opposite. I particularly felt the same way Spinoza said. It's a very bold commitment of him to say this out on the seventeenth century. Very radical and uncompromising.
It's a pity that none understood him in his time, but this is what the internet about isn't it ? Sharing and spreading the idea.... most importantly the correct,right and ideal ideas free of any personal prejudice and any erstwhile gain. A coercive combined effort in spreading a stoic idea of inner harmony and becoming wise and humble in the process. Thank you The School of Lie for creating such beautiful and knowledgeable videos.
Dr
The PHILOSOPHY-videos are by far the best videos you do. This subject is after all, perhaps the very most relevant.
Spinoza is a great example of courage and conviction. What he did took balls of steel.
Wow.....it explains my way of thinking so well. Glad I stumbled upon this. Will need to listen to its entirety when the time is right.
I think you should know that "Spanish Peninsula" does not exist. You mean "Iberian Peninsula", which includes Portugal (where Spinoza's family was from) and Spain.
+Pablo123456x portugal made his family convert and run away lmao
would you text me back for a ?
first world problems
Same with David Ricardo (classical economist). And like Spinoza , Ricardo would later abandon Judaism too.
I believe the peninsula was under Spanish rule during the time in question.
This video was awesome! So well done, just like the previous ones.
A brilliant thinker, still valid in the modern time.
One of the greatest philosophers I've ever read, yet extremely underrepresented
Outstanding stuff, one of the best videos.
Exactly..!! Wishing I could have talked to him about the 'subject' ..
This video made me An Scientific lover. I appreciate School of life. thank you for opening my eyes.
Fell in love with him in a formal philosophy course. He is my rock star. Our understanding of quantum mechanics supports his ideas.
Could you expand on that? In what ways do Quantum Mechanics support his ideas? Geniunely interested.
@@Aryeh487 off the top of my head - one substance works. I will have to think the rest thru memory issues. I will tho and return to answer
@@ywoulduchoosetousethis appreciate it man
@@Aryeh487 If u follow the idea of Spinoza's God in Ethics u will find the same points on anyone who decides to live Quantum Consciously using Quantum mechanics as the foundation for such a religion. I think it comes out of the idea of one substance proposed by both.
The difference between that God and a Judeo-Christian God of a few seemingly contradictory religion is war. War fragments the consciousness and led to the rise of the dual nature of God as we understand it.
The truth is every religion has been spread by military forces and and gradually lost empathy.
God is all the particles of the universe collectively, our bodies are also part of it. To those who destroy the Earth knows he destroy himself.
This is a perfect jewel of a video. Thank you so much.
Thought provoking teetering the line of insanity. His philosophical musings got him into hot water. I will have to read "Ethica" in both the original and the English. Thanks for the Cliffnotes version.👍🏻
Thanks for your videos , they always help me alot to learn more about philosophers .🙏👍
I was once a strong hearted atheist. The world is so wonderfully beautiful that I was upset I had to consider myself an atheist for a long time. However now I have finally found a balance of god and the universe. Thank you Spinoza.
His god was nature and so his belief was very atheistic
The graphics in this series are brilliantly creative.
Absolutely fascinating and helpful summary. While I personally am comfortable with a more traditional religious life, I also find Spinoza's view of the Divine not only helpful, but beautiful. That Divinity isn't far away in the clouds, or in any physical body, but around and among us. The Apostle Paul even echoes this when, working off of the stoics and Seneca, he speaks to the people that in God "we live, and move, and have our being."
Perhaps bridging the gap between Spinoza and more traditional religious forms isn't impossible!
I second that. One of the saints somewhere wrote that the believer must grow to "desire whatever will be", a wise concept Spinoza also arrived at. He's got good points, for sure, and took valid shots at some of the blindness and stubbornness that threatens religion as it is thrust into the role of cultural institution.
Nice to see my favorite Rembrandt "Philosopher in meditation" at 6:10
I have an exam about this tomorrow. You have been very useful and clear even though I am Italian. Thanks so much!!
This is absolutely wonderful! I never knew or thought this had a name and am proud to call myself a Spinozist
Watching for the second time, this man is Amazing. I would love to know how would it be if he hasn't ignored those facts. Masterpiece
My goodness: Spinoza perfectly articulates what my belief in God is. I too am not an atheist, but do identify with the God many people believe in. Religions is a means of controlling society, especially in traditional countries. I'm currently studying to become a life coach where there is great emphasis on balancing the body, mind and spirit. While my neurodiverse mind was wandering yesterday, I was reminded of the Trinity: the Father (mind), the Son (body), and the Holy (Spirit). This indicated to me that the origins of Catholicism is based on the same belief. Spinoza rejected the need for of prayer; in a coaching workshop today, my ADHD mind made a connection between people's need to often pause in order to be fully focused, with prayer, for example, the Rosary . Pausing isn't an easy habit to remember to execute, but praying at specific times I believe is.
I have realized some actual fundamental truths (given what I know at this point in 2021).
- The universe spent billions of years forging the atoms which compose our bodies.
- Even though we are made of similar parts, the combinations are all unique and you could travel to the ends of the universe (if it does end) and never see the same combination again.
- Natural laws cannot be broken, unlike spiritual, or man's law. Without external assistance I simply cannot make myself able to fly or breathe indefinitely underwater.
- Life is being welcomed into this universe in order to experience this universe. It's a trip, I don't know if any type of consciousness remains after death and I won't calculate on it happening. So I seem to believe I should make the most of my time while I'm here.
- Adding spiritually, and emotionally loaded words to the process of learning, and the scientific method can yield amazing feelings which seem to be helpful with keeping the irrational parts of the mind in sync with the rational. Another way of saying this is that there is social utility in using these concepts to express how the universe works that can tickle a part of our senses in special ways encouraging us more towards science.
- The scientific method can justify itself purely by the results that it produces and it's ability to predict future events.
Spinoza is amazing! I super agree with him :) and also, his favorite philosopher is also mine, Seneca!
After watching this, he is my most favorite phisopher now. Our philosophy is a bit similar.
Our?
@@philosophisnt5148 I am referring to my philosophy and his
all of these postcards of paintings....
I need these!
I am reaching an understanding of this more and more each day. I do not share my thoughts, except for with my 17 yr old and he is required by me to find his own path and beliefs. I do not challenge people's belief systems. I quietly exist with my understanding of things.
I love the way the narrator speaks.
Alain de Botton does have a mild manner when he speaks.
It's worth mentioning that Spinoza's 'God' is almost identical to the Hindu concept/God of Brahman.
Povilas Račkauskas spinoza conceived one and eternal substance i.e. god. in hindu concept you will found a thousands of god. even the term 'god' has three god viz generator ~ brahma, operator ~ vishnu and destroyer ~ the mighty shiva. in what way you re saying it identical ? those modes of god with infinite attributes ? we all re part of them. do a integration of everything of us, everything in universe then you ll get that eternal one substance that is god. everything that exist is 'in' god. you remember the implication of word 'in' here. i took an interest because i am a hindu. plz correct me if i am wrong.
Hi, Ashwani Kumar!
Let me start of by saying that I'm not not a Hindu. Whit that said, I have a deep interest in all religions and I have read about them.
Now, I think that the best thing for me to do is to drop you these links instead of trying to explain it in my own words :) (note that Brahman and Brahma are two different concepts)
I'm hoping to hear your response.
Link 1.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahman
Link 2.
hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/117/is-hinduism-strictly-polytheistic-or-are-the-gods-considered-to-be-eventually-on/875#875
Actually Ashwani Kumar, he's right (I come from a Hindu background myself). As with any religion, there are varying philosophies within Hinduism, the predominant one being Advaita Vedanta which is practically identical with Spinoza's writings (which is funny because he didn't have any prior exposure to Hindu philosophies himself).
While there are many gods in Hinduism that are manifestations or representations of various attributes of the universe, the Hindu concept of God is actually explained by the concept of "Brahman" (not Brahma who is part of the traditional trinity). Brahman in simplistic terms is the universe itself, it is all that exists; the ultimate reality. There is no separation between anything or anyone in Hinduism but rather it states that all there is, is what is. Any notions of separation or individualism stems from the ego which perpetuates the "maya" or illusion of the world most of us live in. Freedom from this illusion through enlightenment is what is known as "Moksha" or "Nirvana".
Hinduism actually does not say that we are "in" or "a part of" anything. Instead it says that all that exists is God (or Brahman), and therefore we are God. This is not a statement of arrogance as it may be in other monotheistic religions but rather a statement of complete humility as you are giving up your ego identity and only identifying with the singular self. This is why even the Indian greeting of "Namaste" actually means "I acknowledge your divinity". This can be a pretty complex idea, but it is actually extremely close to Spinoza's view of the world. Just sayin'. =)
thank you very much for your detailed explanation. i am not very much exposed to indian philosophy. i need to start it soon. BTW if you guys have any recommendation for me for western philosophy. any lectures or courses online. because it is very tough to comprehend all these illegible stuff. i will be very thankful to you guys.
hello Povilas Račkauskas , my apologies ! i am noob in philosophy and i really don't have any idea about hindu philosophy. just replied you with my common notions. if you can do a favour to me then please help me out in learning western philosophy. it has become really tough task for me.
for now i am reading this book.
A Short History of Modern Philosophy: From Descartes to Wittgenstein (Routledge Classics)
it is said that it is good for beginners but i am still having problems.
and please tell me any forums where i can spell out my confusions.
thank you so much guys for taking interest in my reply which is having inadequate ideas.
I’m not a thiest but I love his definition of God & his attitude of acceptance with how things are!
Loved Benedictus de Spinoza ever since I read the first words I laid my eyes on. It completely says how I think and what is right. Not because I'm dutch though 😉
Thanks for posting this great video! I never knew he Love Seneca.. I love his thoughts also... Seneca deeply understood the stupidy of mankind and thought of himself as being a world citizen in the first place. Now I see the connection!
i was in a bad mood but as soon as i saw your video in my sub box ( yeah it actually worked this time ! ) i giggled ,shows how fun learning is and also how awesome this channel is !
***** It is indeed ! ^^
Am I crazy or does Spinoza's idea of religion resemble eastern ideals of religion? I'm not a expert on either subject (Spinoza or Eastern Religion), but it does resemble a kind of Daoism in my opinion...
i've noticed this to. Amazing how the human mind can gravitate to similar ideas while being separate non the less.
supernova808 thanks for sharing this. Very interesting
The Dutch also colonized Indonesia, in which avaita vedenta set foot to if I remember correctly.
Yeah Spinoza has kabbalistic points, not a big surprise.
Yhea, it has some similarities, *but thats not the point*. Spionza's thinking isn't religion, it's philosophy. Daoism doesn't work with logic but with little phrases you can either believe or not, so it's absolutely incomparable to a philosophical system. It isn't just enough to speak the truth like some prophet or "wise man". If it's not an obvious fact, you must prove it or make it testable, otherwise it's nothing more than talk, and that's what most eastern "philosophy" (and post-modern western "philosophy") mostly is; talking; twaddle about the universe and life.
Rαido Diecry if you think daoism is about little phrases then you might not be in the position to talk about it ;). Btw philosophy is about more then just logic. A lot of questions that are being addressed in philosophy transcend logic and cannot be answered with logic alone.
Great video. Great soul Spinoza. Extremely brave individual against all odds.
It is always a fascinationg moment when you realise that you actually always had the same thoughts as some great philosopher, who has already spoken it out since decates
It's a strange emotion I feel in such moments but an insanely beautiful one. I can only describe it as trancendental, modestly proud and incredibly wholesome.
They literally give me Life :D
True, it's nice to know there are people that felt and thought a lot of the same things as you do, even if that person lived hundreds of years ago
"Every person in the world is some unconscious exponent of a philosophers unconscious presuppositions"
Excellent work ! When Einstein spoke of "intelligent design " he did also refer to Spinoza .
so basically Spinoza's philosophy can be summarized in that "it is what it is" vine
Fantastic! I did this twice. Kind of slow in the head, but fast on repeat. Shared this with a few friends. It should have been all. I'll go wonder why ..
This is perhaps the best one on the playlist.
1:09 The Ethics
2:43 undermine the idea of prayer
3:30 influence of stoics
7:28 failure
Am I the only one who gets the feeling of Tao when learning about Spinoza's God?
No, I felt the same.
No such thing
My new favorite philosopher! Until the next video.
Beautiful content, God bless you.
I'd love to see videos on the following philosophers. Aquinas, Anselm, Descartes, Pascal, Berkeley, Leibniz, Locke, Kant, Kierkegaard, Anscombe, and MacIntyre.
drsuessre14 me too but it seems like their focus is more on how to live a good life. most of the philosophers that you mentioned focus on things that are a little bit more analytical.
Jerry Reyes correct me if I am wrong, but the difference you point to seems true only for Anselm, Descartes, Berkeley, and Leibniz. And even then, Descartes' "Passions" and Leibniz's "Monadology" both deal in how to live life. I definitely could be wrong in how I'm conceiving of things, though. Let me know!
drsuessre14 what aquinas and kant are known for are not really focused on life, neither is descartes. Sure he has stuff like that but thats not why they are important.
Jerry Reyes Aren't Aquinas and Kant known for and super influential regarding two major systems of ethics - natural law and deontology? Isn't ethics about life?
drsuessre14 Yeah but thats not what they were influential for. In philosophy, no one really talks about deontology, they talk about Kant's Critique of pure reason. I dont know much about Aquinas, but what I have heard from him seems to be more analytic than anything.
My favorite philosopher.
Omg, you nailed it! I’ve never seen seen Spinoza “nailed” within 10 minutes, until now. Tell me more...
I think I've been practicing this way of thinking (intuitively) for quite a while. I have read Ethics before, but very difficult to take in. After seeing this from Alain de Botton, I might have to read it again.
The "ch" in cherem at 6:26 is pronounced like "ch" in Baruch not like chateaux
+Steven Feldstein Thanks, for letting School of Life know. Also, do you agree that while the ch in Boruch is close, it is too soft. The School of Life is Swiss so maybe that's how they say ot there. Anyway, other than that, wonderful stuff.
dat dach' ik ook al ja.
I try not to notice this presenter's mispronounciations, but his inaccuracies are grating on the mind.
A cognate to haram in Arabic
I have viewed scores of your wonderfully concise and deeply penetrating videos since I first discovered School of Life. only a couple weeks ago. They are all pretty much perfect in my estimation. But this one, for the first time,, concludes with a denunciation of the very subject of the video. This denunciation is in the voice of another philosopher who is unnamed. Compared to all the others it seemed incongruous at the very least. Perhaps Spinoza is less effective than he might have been because we are less by far than we should have been. Even so, I gained many valuable insights, which was your intent, and I thank you for it.
I agree with above. What reigion 'offers' to the individual has nothing to do with either the truth of its claims, nor its morality (which is often disgusting in the big three monotheisms). Spinoza wished to replace those aspects (being claimed factuality and compromised morals), which has nothing do to with a sense of belonging or ritual or any of the other nonsense mentioned at the end of this video. Mentioning those whole-heartedly misses the point.
Personally, I thought it was a beautiful irony that he wasn't able to apply his own philosophy of acceptance to the stubborn ways of humans and their outdated traditions. Excellent videos.
it is clear he was very pacifistic and truly believed that nothing could be solved with aggression and that his probably what makes it seem ironic that he could not agree with the traditions and rituals of the church. However, it certainly seems to me that this is a problem with the limitation of language and how we currently communicate. I mean this in the sense that we seem to not be looking passed the fact that he did not conform with the religious traditions of his time. We seem to stop there and just believe this point to be evidence that he contradicts his own perspectives. But i feel our sometimes (not always, but very commonly), limited grip on language and, specifically our fixated and stubborn ideas about certain words, eg(sex, love, religion), has led us to misinterpret his intended ideas and arguments about the church. Just because he did not support the rituals and dogma and strict interpretations (of scriptures) does not mean that he ceased to live by his own ideas. Maybe to him loving everything the world has to offer did not mean abiding by clearly corrupt and inefficient rules. Kind of like when you have an addict in the family and cut him off the drug. Espinoza's "tough love" or harsh and honest interpretations about certain customs were in the end trying to realign the human psyche with the universal order (illustrated in this video). After all, how can there be any progress without change?
Spinoza knew is philosophical path was not for everyone. Just consider the last sentence of the Ethics:
The road to these things that I have pointed out now
seems very hard, but it can be found. And of course
something that is found so rarely is bound to be hard. For
if salvation were ready to hand and could be found without
great effort, how could it come about that almost everyone
neglects it? But excellence is as difficult as it is rare
I couldn't have put it more elegantly! Anonymity of the critic at the end really bothered me.
While I understand and respect the fact that everyone holds a different perspective, I believe it is equally important to respect the idea that we may not have understood the philosophers correctly or completely, as is, perhaps, the central theme of the history of philosophy.
Critique is necessary, my concern is only regarding the platform. Many amateurs begin with this channel. For their understanding, identification of and disclaimer about the critique is essential.
Regarding the critique, I think it ignores the personal impact component of Spinoza's God. While the outside world, Spinoza tells us, is the God no doubt, but the inside world is the same God as well - and that includes all your feelings, emotions, rationality, and instincts. I think this is as spiritually aware as a person can get.
Also, it is not important how long it takes for the majority to adopt an idea. Approval by majority has hardly served as an evidence of wisdom in history.
I wish there was a documentary about this great man
I figured out on my own, the same thing he figured out, without any prior exposure to his work or existence, and from an entirely different upbringing. I only just recently learned of his existence, and am only just starting to learn about him.
same bro
I find philosophy deeply fascinating. I would like to start reading more into this subject. Where do you guys think I should start?
+The School of Life That's quite the self advertising whether it be intentional or not.
+The School of Life what does this book cover?
+Ossom Tech It basically manages to try to solve everyday problems with philosophy,maybe not literally solve but understand it. It's a cool book
+The School of Life My memory's getting weak,so just for curiosity,what's the name of the guy in a hat next to Spinoza's statue in the video?
(In the part of those who were influenced)
+Ossom Tech Start with Plato's Republic.
I felt like Spinoza when I turned 14, then I knew about him after decades, If I had never felt that logic was the essence of life early on I would never have turned away from god, superstition, even if I had read his complete works. He made an impact on me however as I marvel at his audacity to challenge so many crippling beliefs in an age where conformity was a necessity of life.
I love this I fund myself thinking along these lines more times than you'd think so to find something ti confirm my thoughts I love it
I do yoga and I meditate and for years I have spoke about my beliefs with a friend. Yesterday, she said her philosophy teacher described my exact beliefs as being a panteist. I was SHOCKED
He terrified the zealots, of the day. Learnt of him at university, amazing thinker and courageous too.
wow, this i think is actually what I have believed in terms of religion for quite a while. Just explained better.
My brain is a close copy of Spinoza's.
fynes leigh You have to realize that people will follow religion or God’s because it gives them comfort and security. They wasted their lives for the security that they will go to what so called “Heaven” in which in a realistic perspective they will never ever see.
@fynes leigh why is your comment so long, so repetitive, and so full of unnecessary underscores?
Commissar Jacobin Spinoza’s philosophy seems very much like that of the Deists who were around at about the same time, the eighteenth century. I realised I was a Deist after reading Richard Dawkins’s The God Delusion. This is what I put on the census form.
I see many comments similar to this. And I actually came here to comment something similar too!
Baruch Ata Adonai. Elohanu Melach Shalom ! Amein
“ …. the most noble and lovable of all the philosophers.” - Bertrand Russell
this man is a gift from god
+Mason Randle indeed, as is everything else that exists
The Nature.
I see what you did there
@magic nothing is out of god included its negators
reality is not a finite system . it has no limits and has never had a beginning and its understanding either
Had a good chuckle. Good one.
An example of man thinking ahead of his Time
I salute u sir , ur MIND is based on REASON, LOGIC, SCIENCE, and IN HARMONY WITH THE LAW OF NATURE .A WORD TO THE WISE. Thks.
This is my job to show ..real person ❤😢 I died in 2012 and he brought me back from the date 2023. I’m here.