1st Edition

Collective Imaginings Spinoza, Past and Present

By Moira Gatens, Genevieve Lloyd Copyright 1999
    178 Pages
    by Routledge

    178 Pages
    by Routledge

    Why would the work of the 17th century philosopher Benedict de Spinoza concern us today? How can Spinoza shed any light on contemporary thought?
    In this intriguing book, Moira Gatens and Genevieve Lloyd show us that in spite of or rather because of Spinoza's apparent strangeness, his philosophy can be a rich resource for cultural self-understanding in the present.
    Collective Imaginings draws on recent re-assessments of the philosophy of Spinoza to develop new ways of conceptualising issues of freedom and difference. This ground-breaking study will be invaluable reading to anyone wishing to gain a fresh perspective on Spinoza's thought.

    Acknowledgements, Abbreviations, Introduction, PART I: Imagination, freedom and responsibility, 1 Spinoza’s imagination, 2 Spinoza’s freedom, 3. Re-imagining responsibility, PART II: Communities, difference and the present past, 4. Theology, politics and norms, 5. Freedom, authority and difference, 6. Responsibility and the past, Notes, Bibliography, Index

    Biography

    Gatens, Moira; Lloyd, Genevieve

    `The writing syle is clear, and the author demonstrate a willingness and ability to tackle Spinoza on his own terms while at the same time being able to bring him up to date so that he can speak to our contemporary conerns'

    'Collective Imaginings ... opens wide the doors to a new, promising approach to work on Spinoza so that further studies on Spinoza's notions of individuation, political theory, and imagination will not be able to ignore this work.' - Australian Journal of Philosophy