Spinoza: Practical Philosophy

About this course

The course considers why Spinoza’s philosophy can be understood as a practice of living, focusing on the capacities of bodies and minds, desire, power, freedom and collective life. It places his anti-Cartesian approach alongside later interpretations by Nietzsche, Martial Guéroult and Gilles Deleuze. Topics include Spinozist expressionism as an alternative to Cartesian dualism, structuralist readings and their relationship to affect theory, and close readings from the Ethics and Theologico-Political Treatise.

What you'll learn

• Explain how Spinoza’s philosophy challenges Cartesian dualism and conventional ideas of subjectivity.
• Examine Spinozist concepts of desire, power, freedom and collective life.
• Trace the influence of Spinoza on Nietzsche, Guéroult and Deleuze.
• Interpret selected passages from the Ethics and Theologico-Political Treatise.

Is this course right for you?

Listed as suitable for all levels, the course is centred on philosophical analysis and close reading of Spinoza’s texts. It may suit learners interested in the modern Continental reception of Spinoza and in questions concerning desire, freedom, power and affect.