Baruch Spinoza

24 November 1632 – 21 February 1677

Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) was a Dutch philosopher of Portuguese-Jewish origin and one of the foremost rationalist thinkers of the early modern period. Expelled from Amsterdam's Jewish community at 23, he earned his living as a lens grinder while developing a pantheistic metaphysics identifying God with Nature. His masterwork, the Ethics, published posthumously, laid foundations for the Enlightenment and modern biblical criticism.

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Life events

Born in Amsterdam, Dutch Republic
24 November 1632

Baruch Spinoza was born into a Portuguese-Jewish merchant family in Amsterdam.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Educated at the Talmud Torah school of Amsterdam's Portuguese-Jewish community
c. 1639

Spinoza received a traditional Jewish education, studying Hebrew, the Torah, and rabbinic literature.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Took over the family import business with his brother after his father's death
1654

Following his father Miguel's death in 1654, Spinoza ran the family trading firm together with his brother Gabriel.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Worked as a lens grinder while pursuing philosophy
c. 1656 – 1677

Spinoza supported himself grinding optical lenses for microscopes and telescopes, a craft he practiced for the rest of his life.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Expelled from Amsterdam's Jewish community by writ of cherem
27 July 1656

On 27 July 1656 the Talmud Torah congregation issued a harsh writ of cherem excommunicating the 23-year-old Spinoza for his heterodox views.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Published Principles of Cartesian Philosophy, the only work issued under his own name
1663

In 1663 Spinoza published a geometrical exposition of Descartes's philosophy, the sole book to appear under his name during his lifetime.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Published the Theological-Political Treatise anonymously
1670

The 1670 treatise, defending freedom of thought and pioneering modern biblical criticism, caused a scandal and was later banned.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Moved to The Hague
c. 1670

After years in Rijnsburg and Voorburg, Spinoza settled in The Hague, where he spent his final years.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Declined the chair of philosophy at the University of Heidelberg
1673

In 1673 Spinoza turned down a professorship at Heidelberg, citing his wish to preserve his freedom to philosophize.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died in The Hague; the Ethics published posthumously the same year
21 February 1677

Spinoza died at 44, probably of a lung illness, and his friends published his Opera Posthuma, including the Ethics, later in 1677.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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