Spinoza: A Complete Guide to Life
Then & Now is FAN-FUNDED! Support me on Patreon and pledge as little as $1 per video: patreon.com/user?u=3517018
Or send me a one-off tip of any amount and help me make more videos:
www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...
Buy on Amazon through this link to support the channel:
amzn.to/2ykJe6L
Follow me on:
Facebook: fb.me/thethenandnow
Instagram: / thethenandnow
Twitter: / lewlewwaller
Subscribe to the podcast:
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast...
open.spotify.com/show/1Khac2i...
Description:
Thank you to @epochphilosophy for lending their voice for this video.
If you’ve ever wanted a complete scientific roadmap for how to live, a modern philosophy to go by, a lens through which to understand a complex world, a foundation, the 17th century Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza is as good as you'll find. He asked questions like: why are we so dogmatic? What makes us irrational? Why do we live as slaves to our emotions and others opinions.
He was one of the first Enlightenment advocates for real democracy, and was the first to really criticise the bible as just a text. He was vilified for his perceived atheism and excommunicated from the Jewish community where he lived.
I look at Spinoza’s most influential text, The Ethics, look at what his ideas about god were and why he was a Pantheist, ask what substances, modes, and attributes are, and why he argues that the ‘many is one’. We look at the affects, the idea of conatus, the ‘free person’, rationalism, his stocism, and ideas of morality and benevolence.
Sources:
Steven Nadler, Think Least of Death: Spinoza on How to Live and How to Die
Jonathan Israel, Radical Enlightening: Philosophy and the Making of Modernity 1650-1750
Giles Deleuze, Spinoza: Practical Philosophy
Baruch Spinoza, Tractatus Theologico-Politicus
Baruch Spinoza, The Ethics
Beth Lord, Spinoza’s Ethics
Anthony Gottlieb, The Dream of Enlightenment
Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy
I don't normally comment, but this video is so good that I want to increase its engagement. Great work!
Same
Good on you, both! I’m with you folks.
@Roberto Biagio Randazzo …and yet he’s well known and you are not. Who should people listen to? Just using a little logic.
Then you 'abnormally' comment on the fact that its "so good"? I totally disagree.I normally comment when I see grand work on KZhead..This DUDE almost certainly guarantees it.. However, in a sense of KZhead being 'mostly pastiche', The Dude's videos do seem abnormally misplaced.. He needs real investors (educational funding) and a totally different pedagogical venue...btw...I know talent when I see it too..haha
@@terrymarshall6961 What do you mean? I don't really get what you are saying.
Amazing how Spinoza spent his entire life on this concept and we have it at the free range of our fingertips; further more, the person creating this video and breaking it down to a more understandable concept, is truly luxurious. Thank you so much for your video!
Seems like a giant waste of time. These ideas are pretty common among all people. I've had them my entire life. I guess that means I am special haha
@@ADUAquascaping Everyone's at their own pace, though I am glad to hear you are able to understand things quicker ☺
@@ADUAquascaping nobody's special
@@ADUAquascaping Let me get this straight; ; You're saying that the ideas of Spinoza are "a giant waste of time", (I have no opinion regarding this), & "these are the ideas you have had your entire life". Then it logically follows, that your life, according to your own admission / observation, must be " a giant waste of time" I'm not trying to be being mean spirited, or judgemental, I'm just connecting the dots as you have presented them.
@@daskitten1 i just love how rude logic can be at times. Good question.
I've watched your video to the it's full extent, this is what the internet should be all about, creating and sharing knowledge for the good of everyone. Most valuable one hour I have spent during the whole week. Thank you so much ! ! !
This is pretty much what I use the internet for. Although the algorithm keeps sending shorts of people going down water park slides and female track and field for some reason.
When I found out about Spinoza, I felt a huge relief. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who idolizes such a mindset. What a beautiful way to see the world. Absolutely incredible job on this video.
Nooo nooo nooo
Just as long as you remember to think about the cause and perfection. Too many followers of Spinoza today butcher his teachings and essentially only take the easy loads in their life everytime because their selfish and their definition of perfect is complete laziness and stupidity.
@@LuckyvillageLifeexplain 🇺🇸
@@saythankyou111in terms of humans in positions of stability, preying on other humans in positions of instability, which personality types are more likely to predate, or use systematic and deliberated applications to undermine another in order to foster the circumstances for preying to be easier? Spinosas’ text seems in areas, like criminal pathology? Motive, purpose and ego, didn’t appear in the list of traits of the free psychology? If feelings of power make one free, is self sustainment by the systematic undermining of others stability a sensible action, or is it called fascism by which the cowardly, or whiley prey on the ignorant and innocent to increase the illusion of their own value at another’s expense? 😷 What kind of civilisation would that make? Sounds like the meek would inherit the earth by broadcasting its intelligent influence via a vastness of glow in the dark teeth? Invisible to its own kind, obviously.
@@lucyhanks500 wow….that’s fantastic even if I only understood a wee bit…..😳thank you..
I’m a practicing Buddhist from Asia and when I was studying Western philosophy in Uni, the only person that really spoke to me was Baruch Spinoza.
Desire leads to all misery.
@@gein2287 or pleasure
@Jacque And? Who wants continuous pleasure? Life is an art of proportionality.
Wow, you’re from an entire continent?
This is basicly Dao de jing
This is one of the most complete videos I've ever seen on Spinoza, damn incredible dude.
Agree with you, excellent work, thank you
cant believe that nobody sees how flawed spinozas line of thinking is.. 1. you making conscious decisions is still "the universe unfolding". you are still ON THE LINE. your braincells are part of nature. your thoughts (synapses) formed as reaction to outside triggers. you are still as choiceless as you where before. NOTHING HAS CHANGED. its already in the calculation that you will resist your "feelings" at this momment in time when you do it. your still following the feeling that you should ignore your feeling. 2. the chain of events is so unimaginable long. even if you are aware of some causes and effects you only are aware of 0.0000000000000000000000000000001%. you are unaware of more things then you can ever be aware of. even the most ZEN MONK didnt consider every atom in his body at every momment in time relating to every other atom in the universe. so, to think that you can make the universe stop by understanding these rly short chain of events (a tree needs nutrients) is complete arrogant (hybris) and not smart. you breathing still has a butterfly effect! no matter if you resist your feelings.
But we are NOT made up of atoms... We are made of plasma.
@@cinaannie7338 there are still atoms in plasma, I'm just starting the video so I'm not sure your exact reference
dude? so sad
This is a phenomenal introduction to Spinoza for anyone interested in his ideas. And it was knitted together beautifully with sound and vision. Thank you for this. I've watched it twice, now.
There is not so much good content on KZhead about Spinoza for beginners, and this video fills that void. Thank you for the good work
I’m so happy that my tripping experiences are now documented in such a clear manner ie this video
same
Exactly..!😊
Wtf are you babbling on about? Your probably fifteen years old
@@bbk9787 why are you so rude? I'm actually 34 years old. I invite you to watch some video on "ego death" or "satori state", if you want to explore the connection between tripping and Spinoza. I understand that people who got to experience Spinoza's God by practicing meditation look down upon those who did via LSD or DMT.
Alan Watts also puts it beautifully in his talks. He even did a talk on LSD and the realization that "You are It". (You might know it)
Hello, I am a chilean teacher of English who lives in Brazil and fell in love with this channel. It's so good to find a treasure like this, that I consider it my Christmas present.
I’ve watched dozens of videos on Spinoza, read dozens of books… including the Ethics. This video is the only time I’ve ever really (really) understood what Spinoza was trying to articulate in his writings. Thank you.
Thanks for shedding light on a difficult subject! 🤓😊
That revelation should cause some very deep questioning.
Dozens of books???
Spinoza is -in essence- the most simple thing to encounter. Go into Tibetan Buddhism and you'll see the same (without the reason/rational part). As a population we still don't grasp the fact that we are one. Simply because extracting resources gives short-term extacy (and long-term suffering). And no, I am not religious, in any way. I just understood Spinoza 25+ years ago.
Indian philosophy speaks the same. Initially to understand the forces of nature ( includes likes dislikes, Good and bad etc and his own action or reaction) through which human being understands that origin of difference broods within due to lack of 'Jnana' . Once it dawns that there is no second thing other than the existence in universe i.e. 'Adwaita' there is no pain or pleasure but only realisation of self and universe as one and there is no distinction between the realizing subject, realized Jnana and the process of realization.
someone reply to this comment a year later so i can re watch this video
We gonna give u likes for the duration of one year 😅
Half a year bro this video fireeee
Got u at 6 months
Ohhhh We're half way there. Ohhhh Lemon on a pear. Take my hand, and we'll make it, I swear. Ohhhh lemon on a pear!
Lol
This genuinely turned out so well. This really is one of your best. I definitely didn't expect this to be so in-depth and so representative of the subtextual context with Spinoza! Reading the Ethics alone, in my mind, still doesn't get his objectives across, and you nailed those objectives here. Truly, again, did not expect this video to turn out so well. Even happier that I was able to be apart of this. Thanks for allowing me to be apart of this! (Sorry in advance to everyone, Lewis's voice is much better than mine. My voice kind of sucks. But, you need the bad to recognize the good, yeah?)
Thank you! You were great and really added to the video. Many thanks again. Everyone check out Epoch Philosophy!
Mah boy Epoch
@@Bojoschannel Good to see you here, dude!
You only need the bad until you can recognize the good. After that the bad is no longer needed. I think sometimes that obvious fact is ignored by people or not seen.
And you too. Thank you for all you do.
I don't believe in the idea of a "life changing video" but this has to be an exception. And the way you have explained and taught Spinoza's ideas is awe-inspiring.
@@Explorer-7 To believe is not to trust but to have faith; to trust is a more concrete idea which is to know that your faith is true objectively. Maybe I wrongly used the word "believe" I should have said, "I had no idea life changing videos existed." Thanks for pointing this out hope I can become more articulate as I get older.
Can you please tell me what about this video is so life changing? I find it very simple obvious ideas
@@HVAC356 sometimes something can be both simple and obvious and also life-changing... it just depends how the concepts meet you and interact with you. What may move one person might have no effect on another simply based on what ideas each person has encountered already
How would you prove robot has consciousness using empirical data. How do you prove to blind man what color red is using empirical data. In theory, robot can be programmed to move its hand when it touches hot surface. How do I know its having the experience of hot using test tube(Deduction/induction). The only thing i am certain of is that i have experience of hot. This experience can only come from entity that can already experience existence (Allah-one/indivisible/self-sufficient/unique/All-Loving infinite perfection). If you cannot prove your own consciousness using “scientific method”, then how can you reject the existence of Perfect/infinite metaphysical being(Allah)? “Cogito ergo sum”( I think therefore I am) should be read as “cogito ergo est”(I think therefore Allah is)
During undergrad, I remember reading Spinoza's work and it was the only work that made me almost cry.
Try some Alan Watts, so much deeper
What book did you read?
@@sarahhall5714 Watts is as deep as a puddle, only appealing to depressed teenage girls. To imply he's anywhere near the level of complexity of Spinoza is laughable.
@@sarahhall5714 Nah
Spinozas Ethics suck. Some preconceived ideas pretending tue be truths obscured by the “geometrical method”. Nietzsche was absolutely right about Spinoza.
I'm only 15 minutes into this and am blown away at how well you put this together. It is a pleasure to watch!
I second that !
I dunno…5 minutes in and still nothing. “Let me me make some generalized introductory comments to lead into the next set of generalized introductory comments.” Everything is everything.
A very well presented overview of historically difficult material. Well done and thank you.
Thank you for this beautiful video
What I love about this vid is that I vividly remember when at 15-16 wandering a pine woods in Wisconsin, pausing to read Epictetus beneath trees, observing everything, that much the same conclusions as those of Spinoza came to me---modes of things intrinsically interconnected. But all was forgotten soon enough! How odd to rediscover it here. In Mod.Philo. at college we only touched on Spinoza briefly as a response to Descartes (---sad.)!& At 15, "infinite causality" for me was a revery, and daydream. Now such for me is free will....
In my 7+ years on KZhead I don't think I've ever before immediately replayed a video longer than 10 minutes to which I was fully paying attention. The ideas expressed here are so profound and line up so beautifully with so many of the mini-philosophies I've formed over the course of my years as a fully self-aware human being. I'm sure I would've eventually learned about Spinoza one way or another but this is the most compelling introduction I could've possibly asked for. Thank you for putting this out into the world.
This is so good! I' ve been in my life bubble for days, and this video made me realizes how I had reacted to many affects in my life, and this made me changed my perspective towards it. I'm getting interested in the work of Spinoza, thanks for making this video!
I'm not religious now, nor have I ever been. But since this video came out every couple weeks I will relisten to it and I can only imagine I feel like churchgoers do when the pastor is really spitting. Spinosa seems to tie together many course ideas I had swimming in my head about life, meaning, etc in a way I never could. And your presentation and expansion of the material is perfect
It's Spinoza's philosphy effect. The same thing happened to mo the first time I read his book The Ethics.
Damn. From killer leftist content on political theory, to current affairs, to Spinoza and the interconnected nature of all things...with Epoch Philosophy narrating to boot. This is surely one of my new favorite channels. Thank you for all the stellar work you do Then & Now. Keep knocking it out of the park.
Killer leftists are common
@Ed His channel is most certainly focused on leftist content. He doesn't make his aesthetic centered around that. But it is what it is. He's a progressive/leftist. If me acknowledging that turned you off, then do a deep dive on what actual leftism is, and then go and watch Then and Now's content and get back to me.
@Ed And no. Fence sitting in a time when the right is actively looking and succeeding at rolling back the rights of women and minorities, while embracing Christian Nationalism and trying to turn the entire country against LGBTQ ppl...you ever heard the Edmund Burke quote? "For evil to triumph all that is necessary is for good men to do nothing." While I get what you're trying to say; you're making a statement against tribalism...at this point and juncture of time, we don't have a whole lot of choice. I hate tribalism as much as the next guy, but these tribes do exist. If I could snap my fingers and do away with a left/right divide, I would. Sadly, that's not a choice. If one side wants to limit individual freedom while the other side wants to protect and enable said freedom, then I'm going with the side that is in defense of freedom.
Leftists are the worst possible people for the earth. Read Ted Kaczynski's book, "Industrial society and it's future", and learn about yourself and all other leftists from someone intelligent. Politics are a joke meant to distract and divide the unwashed masses. No different than two fans of rival sports teams going at it. The sport organizers and the teams/players always win in the end regardless of who wins the game.
@@chickensalad7199 If you want a world where everyone is equal, then you first have to do away with Islam, a religion where LGBT and women's rights are non existent. You have to do away with most minorities too, because minorities are some of the most conservative people in their beliefs. You know what else you have to do away with? Leftist politicians keeping blacks and other minorities poor, uneducated and addicted to drugs. How can there be equality when welfare exists for these perfectly able people to not work and sit at home or on the streets all day supported by Gov't assistance programs? Why do they need asistance in the first place? Are they taught to not work hard like everyone else? Are they given assistance and unfair advantages and oppurtunities like getting into college easier or employers being required to hire a certain number of minorities like black people because leftist politics see them as unequal to whites? These are the questions you should ask yourself. I am a first gen Mexican immigrant to the USA btw, I'm not some white supremacist.
Thanks for making this video. Spinosa was always on my list of philosopher but very hard to read and understand without a teacher or explanations. I finally had a great introduction to his way of thinking, which are truly beautiful and inspiring. I find my self agreed with him in most of his reasoning.
Thank you for articulating Spinozas philosophies so well, your breakdowns were really digestible and easy to understand!
I need to rewatch again but there is so much great content here that you moved along in a concise and helpful way. You’re destined for great things.
Good lord this presentation is absolutely amazing! The more I more look into philosophy, the stronger the urge grows in me to become a knower and re-distributer of philosophy. I'm not trying to down play Spinoza in any way here.. just saying, many of he's concepts and ideas of freedom, relativity and the web-like structure of nature are almost identical to the shamanic philosophies of ancient Mexico, dating back thousands of years before his human birth. Great ideas never die. Peace from Denmark 🇩🇰
And even before then, the ancient egyptians. To say he's the first...I dunno
I loved coming upon this beautiful (in many ways) video. I see how through the years of our human existence, this information has come through. It seems to me that what Spinoza tapped into is the Universal knowledge that the ancient ones before him also expressed. Yes, I see it in the Shamans, in the Vedas and other teachings from Ancient India. These teaching are currently being embraces through what some people categorize as New Age. I believe they are the closest TRUTH of this experience we are living. Thank you to Spinoza and all those who have reminded us of this glory.
Great wisdom, great minds .. all connected. :) Love the video. World Peace 🌎
@@sanyo8440 right, but still before the ppl he spoke about. The ppl of Sudan and the southeast migrated together.
Animism has been sharing these same ideas of connectivity of all things for thousands of years. And then we have also advaita vedanta and daoism which share same concepts about identifying self as the universe thousands of years before Spinoza. Perhaps, until few centuries ago these ideas weren't shared yet to the west world, so for that area Spinoza was the first to talk loudly about this philosophy towards life. Nevertheless, it does not matter who was first to bring up this philosophy. All is one!
This video is really amazing, the amount of knowledge shared, the great examples, the peaceful narration, I absolutely loved every minute of it and will be re watching often.
I've studied so much of religion, psychology and philosophy. But strangely enough never Spinoza. So much of his insights are in line with my own. Kinda feel ashamed, because i live in the Netherlands. Thank you so much for sharing this.🙌💯😎
more philosophy videos should be like this !! so engaging and accurate, usually on here it's one or the other... great stuff :D
This was freaking AWESOME! Could not stop listening. I heard little snips of Spinoza many times but never dug deeper, been focusing on other philosophers. This was so educational and your voice is soothing. 🙌🏽 🧠💡⚡️🌅 👁 🌈 🐲 🎯 Great for the entire family too.
This was fascinating and well put together, I’m glad I found you today, thanks for sharing your time and effort with us 😬✌️
Thanks for sharing! 🤗👌
Your content is incredible! So inspiring! Thank you for what you do
Very well made, engaging. Great personality and tone of voice gave way to a good amount of attentive listening. I was looking for a summary of Spinoza that would engage me and this is it. Well worth sharing. Thank you.
I’ve been a huge fan of this channel for awhile, but this one is incredible in every sense: production(!!!), narration, pacing, music, etc. I’m absolutely blown away...terrific work.
wasn't very good academically. Read a little Spinoza and you will see the dramatic drop in clarity of his message here. this is like a badly written Spinoza commercial or something. if you Read the mans work you will be in for a boon instead of a stupid sweet treat like this. He's also just wrong about certain fashionable aspects of the literature. He's Derivative in the 20th cent way of slang meaning.
@@erikred8217 to be completely honest, you kinda just sound jealous
@@erikred8217 waaaa something isnt perfect based on my guidelines therefore its trash, waaaaa
@@erikred8217do you have examples?
Great stuff. A lot of good writing here. You express a deep understanding of these men’s thoughts. Thanks for making my day more beautiful and for helping me not to feel alone in my ongoing pondering about life. When questions have lost their thirst and inside seems dreary and bare. You shed a little light across my window seal and caused the air to come alive like back when we used to sing and dance what a lovely passing of time…
Thank you for making such a wonderful video on Spinoza. I was just reading The story of Philosophy by Will Durant, and while reading Spinoza I felt the need to watch something on his work and this has been a fruitful one hour spent on youtube. I shall go now and think of fortitude, even though you might have more good content, but I shall come back at the right time.
I’m so glad this was recommended. Delighting myself in this knowledge and the glory of synchronicity! Thank you!
AMAZING! okay i love how you sometimes stumble on words. you are professional but still human and you're great! love this thank you
Technology. The internet. AGI. This is how I feel the East and West will one day come together. Having been born in India and learnt and understood the concepts in this video through stories since childhood, I can really relate to Spinoza - a great mind born in the West who likely had little or no access to Eastern / Vedic texts. All the secrets of the universe might already have been written down. It’s the limitation of our minds (and our dogmas) that perhaps prevent us from realizing it.
I was fortunate to find the Mahabharata, which opened up my mind! I have a devotion to Ganesha, and still enjoy learning about Indian spirituality. This video is supportive of mindfulness, which I have taught after studying Indian Yoga Breath with Dr. Nair. It’s a beautiful world and I seek validation of my ideology of Beauty every day. I hope I will find my way to visit India one day.
Womp womp
1) AMAZING video 2) the person voicing Spinoza sounds just like Nathan Fielder and it just made me love the video even more
Loved this video! Well explained and the background music plus the images made it really fun to watch.
Many thanks! As a Philosophy major in the early 70’s, I ran through Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz as rationalists, but focused elsewhere in my electives. Most useful!
Thanks for bringing to life the Ethics.... Possibly the hardest and most obnoxious format a book has ever been written in... Although the thoughts contained therein are gold. Great work with this video 👍
I've really enjoyed this, thank you. 🙏🏽 I listen to your videos almost every single night. I don't agree with everything, nor am I supposed to. I appreciate your videos because they make me think about the topics. They remind me of my love of wisdom.
i discovered your channel this morning and I'm blown away, you've changed my entire perspective on life in a couple of hours. Your videos are amazing and so cleverly presented yet easily understandable, I've learned so much already, thank you! Wish you all the best for this channel, you deserve so much more exposure! I will certainly recommend it to every single person I know lol
While studying Spinoza, I found it super interesting that as he ground the lenses for glasses, corresponded with Descartes (if I remember correctly), and studied or was required to study Sephardic Mysticism. Thanks for the work on this. It’s been almost 30 years since I studied critical thinking.
At least you DID study with critical thinkers. Spinoza was a secret Sufi kzhead.info/sun/n8ukk6mNpJqFpok/bejne.html
I also worked in an optical lab, and I spent a lot of time grinding glass lenses, and because of muscle memory, you can let your mind wander as you think about other things. For the longest time, I've been more in a Pantheistic state of mind, and I've never bought into the God outside of the Universe. I like to remind myself that it's all included!!! If someone finds something that they think is outside, they really just need to redraw the borderline, and accept that it always was a part of everything else.
Incredibly Swell Done! Awesome use of technology… Just spent Christmas morning repeatedly viewing! Wrote a dissertation, “Bodies of Knowledge: Perception in Spinoza & Whitehead” So Glad George Elliot’s English translation of Spinoza’s Ethics from 1858 was finally published… Clare Carlisle, Moira Gatens, other women, also offer important perspectives on Spinoza… Thank you!
I'm 41, love books on history, philosophy, Bible, God, spiritual ideas and truths... Ummmm how am I just hearing about this Spinoza now? Edit: KZhead algorithm department needs a supervisor so their staff can supervise AND put out there all greater content! This is almost ridiculous. Thank you guys! for your time and effort in making great contents• And thank you KZhead..., for having great challenging roles...
Your program was just starting and on in the background while I was deep in thought. The ideas and philosophy is what I needed, at a time where I was in the middle of a difficult decision. Thank you, it was very interesting and very informative.
Fantastic stuff. You’ve done a great service putting this out. Cheers
WELL DONE all the way around. How amazingly verifying that only now have I encountered works about Spinoza. Profoundly thanking you from Chicago, Illinois USA, for sharing via KZhead.
Thanks for this video. It has put so much of my own personal understandings into perspective. Love it.
Beautifully presented. This is my journey..! Aways exploring the wider perspective for the greater good x
I read about Spinoza in my early twenties and remember liking him. Thank you for reminding me why in an very enjoyable way.
You have the most spirit! I loved the love and passion with which this was made and communicated. Thank you 🙏🏽🤩
After years of research, reading bibles, the Koran, studying ancient religions and arguing with religious fanatics, I finally feel vindicated and free from the absurdity associated with Christianity. Thanks for putting everything in its proper perspective.
This was an incredible overview of Spinoza, phenomenal video!
Fantastic and useful summary of the ethics - thanks for a great Spinoza video!
This will change many lives, it certainly has changed mine. Bless you ☀️
Bravo! You have spent so much energy and resources to bring out this wonderful video. Thank you!
Thank you very much for this. A little embarrassed to admit, I only now found out of Spinoza and his philosophies. Something I read yesterday Einstein said essentially stating he believed in "the God of Spinoza".
Me too.
I'm still confused. If we don't have free will how do we choose? Or did I misunderstand? I have my own personal philosophy that does not correlate with Spinoza if he's saying we don't have free will. And it seems to be contradictory to his own position...
@@1fast72nova as far as I see it and possibly what Spinoza may be saying, is we are a result of our environment and as such we react to it. In being reactionary rather than analytical, unable/unwilling to consider many perspectives or connections we are in a sense living pre-determined lives. The undeniable fact that we are beholden to the place/time of our birth as well as other circumstances we find outside of our control makes some think life is predetermined. However, our self determination results from the accumulation of wisdom (understanding) and experience; as well as the correct application of said aspects in order to enact a change in our lives that we consider to be positive and thus is our own experience. The question becomes then, can you self select your interest and ideas and what you consider to be positive or negative or is that too inherited by pure circumstance; to what degree can you use your understandings to shape and change yourself, and is there any you at all deciding? The exact mechanism of such a system is up for debate, personally I have my own views on how free will fundamentally relates to how consciousness and personal experiences operate. Spinoza says all is one, and god is nature, one and the same. I agree, my question is if all is one then does all act just the same as we do, growing and changing in accordance to stimuli. And if so then is said all really the result of the many and the singular peoples and things conscious choices? In essence, is our impact both infinitely small and infinitely large in scope? Do our choices propagate and continuously select our next destination, cause and effect, on every scale? Not simply the one we can see/experience in front of us? Sorry for the rambling at the end but these things spark many questions in me as-well and I’m hoping some other soul will come along and share their ideas/questions as I have here. Hope all is well for you my friend, may life’s waters rock you gently into sleep
@@taconator1213 good post. I started reading "ethics" and alot of it went over my head. I'm having to take Spinoza slowly. Although I don't subscribe to his every thought, his works inspire me to look into my own perspectives.
Can I ask where the concept of “go with your heart” or “go with your gut” comes into this idea that being rational is preferred path to take? The mind surely doesn’t trump the emotions everytime? If for example we took the rational path everytime and experienced little emotional upset or indeed elation, would we not be robbing ourselves of the extremes of lifes emotions, the experience of contrast that drives our desire? Do we want to feel it all or think it all? Being always rational seems somewhat sterile, a balanced mind emotional approach might be perfect but Is there really a right way to do live a good or a perfect life?
I had just started reading Joyful Militancy: Building Thriving Resistance in Toxic Times by Nick Montgomery and carla bergman when you released this. What timing. I had read “Spinoza’s concept of joy is not an emotion at all, but an increase in one’s power to affect and be affected” minutes before hearing you say the last part in the video
I've watched 20 min of your Spinoza video; I'm hooked! I'm subscribed and looking forward to your other offerings. Many Thanks.
Phenomenal , I’ve always believed in this pov. But my version was oversimplified . I love it thank you
Truly incredible video, thank you 🙏🏻
Amazing video quality, such an interesting deep research. Bravo to author! I know such topics are not clickbait, and I guess the author knows that the audience for them represents the societal minority, but I wish him more views and engagement in this world of Kardashian fans 🙌🏻✨ thanks for such a great work!!
Brilliant video. Made me feel alive again.. Thank you for remembering my roots.xxxxx
I have spent a huge amount of time meditating on Spinoza's Philosophy. I even wrote a masters thesis on the Ethics. Your presentation is beautiful. Thank you!
I'm curious as to what your writing touched upon!
My approach was to examine the interrelationships in the "Ethics" of his metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics that lead to his climactic conclusion that the intellectual love of God is identical with God's love being returned. Hence, I treated it as a full-fledged spiritual instruction in the tradition of the more general Socratic/Platonic spiritual tradition otherwise known simply as western philosophy. In other words, I hypothesis that an essential aspect of western philosophy as espoused by Socrates/Plato is its being a spiritual path. An extremely difficult path to traverse, but as Socrates/Plato implied and Spinoza explicitly stated, it must be difficult otherwise how can we account for the fact that so few have traveled the road sufficiently.
One major thing you left out of his excommunication: the Amsterdam community of Jews were specifically told not to cause any religious trouble - that includes questioning Christianity or discrediting the Bible in any way. Remember, the Spanish Exile of the Jews was a result of Ferdinand’s belief that the Jews were converting Christians and turning them against the church. Thus, the Jewish community of Amsterdam were all very weary of causing an issue with Protestant Amsterdam. So, the excommunication was a way to ensure that Spinoza wouldn’t cause any harm to the Jews through his “obscured” religious beliefs. Supposedly, the mass congregation of Jewish leaders in Amsterdam once told Spinoza they’d pay him his normal wages as long as he stopped writing against biblical beliefs. Again, all of this stemmed from a fear that they’d be exiled from Amsterdam like they were from Spain.
Thank you for existing and sharing this wisdom with us!
Amazing work on making Spinoza's most prolific work understandable for a lot more people.
Good work, looks good everything seen to lineup together in life reality experience."real is was matter"
couldn't be more grateful for this awesome documentary
Hey! 😳 This was recommended to me.., I scrolled past but paused and thought hmmm “ya never know, could be a surprise and be good” 🤷🏼♂️ And guess what..?? So good!! Thanks for quality!
Incredible work! This deserves more views 👏🏼
I enjoyed every minute of this class. Thank you!
What a brilliant exposition. Thank you so much. So much food for thought there.
I tried to understand spinozas god by reading many blogs, articles, books etc.. but I never understood it... thanks for your video, which made it incredibly simple to understand.
We’ll done. Easy to understand and enjoyable. I enjoyed this video immensely. Thank you for posting
Kinda makes you think about things you’ve done and yet to do Very interesting and enlightening video, well done
Everyone watching this might be interested in, "the law of one, the Ra material. Exactly the same concept, channeled through an alien in the 1980s. I'm loving all the synchronicities in my life ever since 2022 started. It's the sign that things are tightening up and falling in place for the mass awakening.
Brining Spinoza’s work down to earth, personally the most enlightened description of G-D I have encountered. Thanks so much for the work you are doing. Dr. Acosta
Excellent research, writing and production! Keep up the conatively joyful work!
Thank you so much for putting this together!! Really, just... thank you.
Truly a great video! Your work is excellent and is invaluable.
That was very relaxing and informative on an everyday BASIC positive life style. God bless Spinoza's work and allora human beings to come arrossire his REVEALED STATEMENTS❤
Wow! This was so informative. I really understand his philosophy, I even feel like the universe lead me hear 👌🏾
Synchronicity is letting go, and trusting god within - found this marvelous work in a remarkable moment -my heart transplant offered me "new" life -Lao tzi and Spinoza's "way to the Way" Divine! Thank you.
Idk about the synchronicity with god thing
So good explanation of his philosophy! Great work!🙏
I am really glad to know that BURTON L. CUMMINGS IS NOT GOD. Even though he is convinced and believes he is. He is so damaged by drugs, his pedophilia addiction, fake personality and lies about his past, Cummings is not able to maintain his life anymore. He should be investigated for many crimes against all of us. One false GOD to dispel.
Better than any degree of expectation! It has Great Affects on me! Thanks!!!
Always been one of my favorite human beings, Spinoza, that is. Your video made me appreciate him even more. Thank you
Beautiful film, inspiring and helpful.
Excellent video about one of the most important philosophers in the Western thought. Among the number of really helpful things Spinoza does, one of the things I've always seen him doing (and appreciated) is a kind of syncing of Epicurean and Stoic thought.
These Complete Guides are truly incredible. Please continue
Nicely put! 🤓 That's why I love Spinoza - his ideas have real staying power.
Amazing way to explain such a deep way of thinking. Carefully and delicated explication. Point by point!
In college, I had a good friend I'd discuss my view of the world with. Thankfully, my friend was in a philosophy class at the time and told me a lot of what I believed was very similar to the writings of Spinoza. I've been fascinated ever since. Great video. Thank you.
This is fantastic . Honestly great job . In the past this would've been a tv series
Didn't know about this. So much value. Great job and thank you.
Simply stunningly done!
Very relaxing video which makes it easier to reflect on the ideas.
Great video, thanks! Still i have a different interpretation of conatus. I think that Spinoza calls conatus to the natural tendency to movement. Something like when you leave a marble on the uneven floor and it rolls, and continues without force applied. It's just something that happens. And will always go. It has nothing to do with will, but only a happening that's carries on going, and always will once was set in motion. So it is for all things. For nature alike, and one cannot increase or decrease it as it is independent of ones will. Is seems to me the author gave it's approach by Nietzsche's understanding of will to power, the desire to exist. Spinoza talks of existence regardless of will. He talks not of increasing happiness directly, but decreasing suffering, and thus increase happiness. And not that is self centered, but as we are one, once one decreases one's suffering also decreases for all. As all is one but the same.
Conatus is a bit like "life" isn't it?
I don't see how these interpretations are different. The natural tendency of a living being to live; to persist despite external vectors (entropic or otherwise); is the same as the desire to exist. Nietzsche supposed that the will to power was the exercise of the desire to exist, or rather, that wanting to exist and wanting power are synonymous.
Inertia, momentum, path of least resistance, wind, unseen, precognitive desire, the work of God
The natural tendency of life is to continue to live and reproduce as much as possible.
Am my