Spinoza and Pantheism

Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) is considered one of the most original and influential philosophers of the Western world. In his most important work, "Ethics," he argues that what he calls God has no human form or motivations, but is synonymous with the entire physical universe and the entire universe of thoughts and ideas. These two universes, Spinoza says, are not separate but are mirror images of each other. Like Plato, Spinoza finds sensory experience unreliable and believes that ultimate truth can only be obtained through pure reason. "Ethics" is an attempt to discover that ultimate truth through uncompromising reason and logic. For our October meeting, we’ll look at several passages from "Ethics" and discuss how we view Spinoza’s arguments.

Please come join us. There is no charge, and everyone sympathetic to humanist principles is welcome.

For more information, visit our website at www.northfieldhumanistroundtable.org.