Philosopher · 1632 – 1677
Baruch Spinoza
Little-Known Facts
- Spinoza earned his living grinding optical lenses and declined a prestigious university chair to preserve his independence.
- His Ethics was published only after his death, since he knew it would provoke fierce condemnation.
Myths & Misconceptions
Was Spinoza an atheist?
He was widely accused of atheism, but Spinoza argued that God exists as the single infinite substance identical with Nature — a pantheism, not a denial of God.