Benedict (Baruch) Spinoza. Rationalism and pantheism. God is the only substance in the world
Benedict (Baruch) Spinoza is one of the greatest representatives of rationalism. He was born in Amsterdam to a Jewish family in 1632. He received a religious education under the guidance of rabbis. After the death of his father, he spent some time in the commercial affairs that he inherited, without showing much interest in these activities. He did not express a desire to become a rabbi. Thanks to Van den Enden, who taught him Latin, Spinoza made acquaintances among Christian scholars (Meyer, Oldenburg, etc.). Spinoza’s way of life aroused suspicions among the leaders of the community that he showed insufficient respect for the religion and customs of his ancestors. In 1656, they subjected Spinoza to the “great excommunication”, he was abandoned by his relatives. Forced to leave Amsterdam, Spinoza lived for a long time in small settlements (Rijnburg, Voorburg), later moving to The Hague. He earned his living by grinding optical glass. Limiting himself to the bare necessities, he devoted his life to philosophical research. At the same time, Spinoza continued to maintain contact with his learned friends (mostly through correspondence).