In the Footsteps of Spinoza

We recently had the pleasure of visiting the Netherlands and exploring the environment and life of Baruch Spinoza, one of the most interesting and influential philosophers of the modern age.
Featuring guest appearances by ‪@TheEsotericaChannel‬ and ‪@SeekersofUnity‬ .
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Sources/Suggested Reading:
Garrett, Don (1996). "The Cambridge Companion to Spinoza". Cambridge University Press.
Nadler, Steven (2018). "Spinoza: A Life". Cambridge University Press.
Wolfson, Harry Austryn (2014). "The Philosophy of Spinoza: Unfolding the Latent Processes of His Reasoning". Harvard University Press.
#Spinoza #Pantheism #Philosophy

[@LetsTalkReligion]

Corrections: It appears that the Portugese Synagogue wasn't built until the 1670's, which would be after the excommunication of Spinoza. Must've gotten the dates mixed up. Everything aside from him being there remains true though 🙂

[@bluesky45299]

Satan is leading the world in darkness. The only way to counter the darkness is to bring in light. The light can only be brought when we eliminate man-made constructs such as secularism and go back to Divine law/scripture which is always grounded in justice and mercy. When a man usurps the authority of Allah(the most exalted)and wants to make his own laws then those laws will be grounded in tyranny and oppression and would lead to more suffering.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Such an honor and pleasure to be on our shared Spinoza pilgrimage together! We even got to stop at one of Descartes' houses as well!

[@SeekersofUnity]

Loved this. It was a pleasure and honor to be there with you Filip :)

[@LuisAldamiz]

Great fan of Spinoza myself, one of the most clear sighted people ever.

[@cheri238]

Thank you for your visit to explore Spinoza's home and his library. What a gift of insights for people who listen to your lectures on philosophy and religion. Spinoza was my first philosopher I learned about at the age of 5 years old. I still have found him one of our greatest minds. It would be incredibly important if this world of ours had a true democracy today. Maybe one day? We have no control over the future, but we do have the ability to read and acquire knowledge, as one looks in the mirror inwardly. With the deepest appreciation and respect for what you do and those that join you with your studies. Enjoy your journey and have a great summer with your friends.

[@SofoArchon]

“I have made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn human actions, but to understand them.” ~Spinoza

[@BD00240]

I have striven not to laugh at human actions, not to weep at them, nor to hate them, but to understand them. -Spinoza

[@lewisalmeida3495]

Thank you for your excellent podcast, giving us an overview of the importance of Spinoza's philosophy. As a student of Spinoza's philosophy, I have studied Spinoza's Ethics extensively, and I believe to really understand Spinoza, you must live his ideas. I have more than a theoretical concept. After 40 years of work, I now teach, mentor, and coach those who want to live, understand, and love as Spinoza did.

[@iesureloaded6139]

It’s usually the brilliant minds that make authority “uncomfortable” and they are usually adored the most. Thank you for sharing this experience.

[@zovalentine7305]

Rest in powerful peace 🙏 Baruch Spinoza 24 November 1632 ~ 21 February 1677⚘

[@xenocrates2559]

Beautifully done. Very inspiring. Thanks.

[@thescoobymike]

Love to see these great creators collaborating!

[@ezreality]

Thank you, he was way ahead of his time...

[@Bill-ou7zp]

I've been reading Ethics for about two months now. It's very difficult, but there is tons of interesting ideas in there, many of which have drastically changed how I view the world

[@paulgauntlet7921]

I got my Masters in religious studies at the Vrije Universite Amsterdam! This video made me very nostalgic. I used to ride my bike to that statue at the start of the video all the time.

[@Philosophoholic163]

Love Spinoza's work.

[@VOCATUS123]

Very informative! This is one I have never read or studied and I see that I need to remedy this right away. At 7:15 Justin trying to be inconspicuous!! What a fun time you all had.

[@TheTenof12]

"BRILLIANT " as always. What a special pilgrimage to a special man in History. I had no idea I shared so much of my outlook with Mr Spinoza. Thank you so much for bringing facts, truth & great presentation together in a world that has lost its mind. I LOVE this channel & your work. 💜

[@Stefanna88]

Superb channel. I’ve learned so much from you! Thank you for making these fantastic videos, I always look forward to watching the next one ❤

[@levinb1]

Thank you gentle men and gentle women for covering Spinoza and being ironic pantheistic teachers, since YT covers (most) of our planet, of the things human have thought in relation to religion and philosophy.

[@dlloydy5356]

Fantastic episode. Thank you

[@pulkitninenine]

As a follower of Advaita, the similarities are striking

[@AdvaiticOneness1]

Yes it's very similar to the concept of "Brahman"

[@arjenH2Os]

Small correction on your pronunciation of Rijnsburg. The letters I and J form one letter in Dutch. The Rijn part in Rijnsburg comes from the river Rhine and you can better use that in the pronunciation. So pronounce it as Rhine's burg. This atheist loves your content.

[@hypergraphic]

Wow, great video. I've loved watching the live stream while you were there. Keep up the good work.

[@BrendaBoykin-qz5dj]

Thank you,Filip⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@lewisalmeida3495]

Thanks for sharing this video, it's excellent.

[@gregcampwriter]

Someone on Twitter once asked what one word comes to mind when people think of the Netherlands. My answer was lenses. That covers Spinoza, Huygens, and Leeuwenhoek.

[@Uzair_Of_Babylon465]

Great video keep it up you're doing amazing things 😁👍

[@MuftiMasala]

I learnt so much from your channel. Thank you oh great teacher 😊

[@alexandreapfel2329]

Really enjoy your channel and would love to see more on our boy Baruch !

[@catoelder4696]

Incredible!

[@arturoalemany7567]

Love your spirit and you have channel new ways to see the Life of Spinoza .....could you please tell me where can I attend or visit in order to meet you in person ? I would travel anywhere where you are giving lectures or talks .....I truly feel connected to your wisdom ........I live in San Diego ,California ..thanks for all you represent to many ...we need more Unioty in this journey

[@lewisalmeida3495]

Spinoza’s philosophy is more than having an intellectual conversation, but to understand and live his ideas. Spinoza’s Ethics communicates a method of increasing the powers of one’s mind by improving its understanding. It’s possible to free oneself from emotional confusions by understanding that free will is an illusion and that we follow the laws of nature. I have dedicated my life to Spinoza’s philosophy and now I teach it. You can find my work on my website or on KZbin.

[@DrClocktopus1]

Goddamn it, didn't visit any of these when staying in Leiden and now I feel like I need to go back

[@jonathanenglish2024]

Brilliant.

[@lewisalmeida3495]

Visiting Spinoza's place of life and the environment he grew up in is wonderful. Having an interest in Spinoza's philosophy is also intellectually gratifying. However, there's more. Spinoza's Ethics is not just to be read and intellectualized, but to be studied, understood, and applied to one's life. There is a way to understand, the.. WayofSpinoza

[@not32272]

Love your videos. It would be cool if you did one on zār rituals. There's such little information on them, but they seem to be a fascinating blend of Islam and older animist religions.

[@LukeBunyip]

What a great end quote.

[@therongjr]

Dr. Sledge! ❤

[@douglasfur3808]

Ethics had pride of place on the top shelf of my father's bookcase. Right next to Frank Lloyd Wright's autobiography.

[@MuShinGirl]

I saw Dr. Sledge in there :) Thank you all

[@rodrigoiturrieta6476]

Spinoza is fascinating 😍 thank you very much for the video, greetings from 🇨🇱

[@michellem7290]

...adding Spinoza to my list ;)

[@musamusashi]

Short but dense: Filip always delivers.

[@DefaultUser61]

I usually love your long form videos, but this one was simple, powerful, and beautiful

[@nelsaf365]

Thank you. We could use a Spinoza here in America right now.

[@cheri238]

❤️

[@GizzyDillespee]

2:34 this reenactment for the camera made me chuckle. No harm no foul, but I'm still gonna timestamp it🤣

[@zazielazahr]

2:29 great interaction

[@edward2175]

Thanks for so much in a nutshell. I lived in Amsterdam but shamefully didn't notice the statues of the great man. What's the secret of concentrating so much knowledge in such a short time?

[@scottygordon3280]

I love how you all are just a bunch of philosophy and religion nerds…It would be so much fun talking philosophy for hours and looking at books with you guys

[@cheri238]

Agreed! ❤️

[@MaroKhal]

Hey Filip ! What do you think are the commonalities that spinoza has with ibn Arabi ?

[@truthseeker8139]

This dude is legit.

[@meriturso]

nice video. however i think you made a minor mistake: the Portuguese Synagogue was finished in 1675, so it's not possible that the decision to excommunicate him was made in that building.

[@tmAcorn]

How many of us would fearlessly go against any Dogmatic State and speak our minds and get knocked down only to stand back up and dust oneself off and keep on keeping on? About a year ago I read the Einstein quote and had to look this guy up! Amazing philosopher!!

[@AouniX]

Link to music at the end of the video please :)

[@Rybot9000]

I think the term monism better describes Spinoza than pantheism. I view him as an existence monist or neutral monist. The term pantheism or panentheism carry with them the idea of theism or deism.

[@kavadventures]

Dou you consider doing a Video about saint Francis of Assis?

[@edward9674]

Have you ever thought about doing a series on symbolism and architecture of churches? There are some fairly early churches in the archipelago of Finland like for example nagu has a very old one with lots of interesting texts on the wall that has been carefully revealed out of the white paint that'd be cool to see showcased.

[@joshua.veit.europe]

I'd second that request for explication of a standing structure's symbolism.

[@Rydonittelo]

I would love to see Let's Talk, Seekers and ESOTERICA do a long form collaboration looking at all the figures that overlap in Judaism, Christianity and Islam and the differences and similarities that Jesus, Moses, Mohammed had on the history of all these faiths. I hope you visited The Bulldog 🍁 and Chipsy King 🍟 while in the Dam. 👍🏽

[@dmitrygaltsin2314]

He used to put spiders in a transparent glass jar for amusement. They would fight, and he would laugh. That was one of the few amusements he allowed himself. He somehow envisioned us today.

[@armaanajoomal]

great video - thank you

[@Arrlong28563]

We need a video about Saint John of the Cross. San Juan de la Cruz. Greatest Catholic Mystic❤❤

[@GizzyDillespee]

What a Darth Vader of a statue, my goodness!

[@GizzyDillespee]

Patron saint of globalism, I guess it's apropos

[@josef2012]

​@@GizzyDillespeeHuh??

[@jithinr2456]

This is so similar to the Concept of "Brahman" in Hinduism!

[@myself5812]

Im with spinoza

[@j.477]

,,, preFect,, nuff sat! ...

[@keenanarthur8381]

I appreciate many aspects of Spinoza's philosophy, such as his pan(en)theism and politics. At the same time, many of us with Western European cultural roots have inherited an over-emphasis on logic and reason over experiential spiritual insight, downstream of people like Augustine and Aquinas, which overemphasis contributes to many personal and societal problems. He probably could have been quite a mystic, if he had approached God through contemplative practice.

[@AdvaiticOneness1]

The Upanishads, written by ancient Hindu philosophers between 1500-600 BC, already contain detailed insights on this matter. Some verse from the Upanishads: तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यतः It (God) is inside everything, and present outside of everything .....- _Ishopanishad_ Another verse: ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते । पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥ OM That (God) is perfect. This (Universe)is perfect. Perfect comes from perfect. Take perfect from perfect, the remainder is perfect alone (God alone). - _Ishopanishad_ Both Spinoza's God and the God of the Upanishads share the notion of a transcendental, all-encompassing reality that underlies and permeates the universe. They both suggest a non-anthropomorphic understanding of the divine and emphasize the interconnectedness of all existence.

[@The_Crow-]

1:29 beautiful

[@coehfelipe]

Could you do a video on the Theosophical Society?

[@LucasSchimmel]

I only ever heard of Espinoza in the context of a philosopher of law, not as a philosopher of religion. Interesting.

[@ioan_jivan]

I have learned from someone that in the Vedic religion God was seem as everything in nature, and then more. Like nature is only a part of God, like a hand.

[@darkkal207]

I would love to see u explain astavakra Gita if u have time plz do it

[@AdvaiticOneness1]

Absolutely! The Ashtavakra Gita stands as a towering testament to the depths of human wisdom, unraveling the very fabric of existence!

[@ShwetabhSenpai]

i really want a video on what is vedanta

[@jainamsatunda340]

Hey @LetsTalkReligion , I find that there is an obvious similarity between spnioza's concept of God and it's modes and Jain Concepts of Sattā(reality) and paryaya (modes). Also I find your video on Jainism to be a bit lacking in research. Can you reconsider?

[@LuisAldamiz]

Does Jainism consider Reality illusion or real? I am of the impression that it is part of the Indian sects that reject Reality. Spinoza embraces it rather because It is God.

[@AdvaiticOneness1]

I think it's more closer to the Concept of God mentioned in the Upanishads of Hinduism. The Upanishads was written between 1500-600 BC, while Jainism emerged in the 6th century BCE, several centuries after the composition of the Vedas and Upanishads. The following verses about God from the Ishopanishad has stricking similarity with the Spinoza's God : तदन्तरस्य सर्वस्य तदु सर्वस्यास्य बाह्यतः " It (God) is inside everything, and outside of everything ..." Another verse: ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते । पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ॥ "OM That (God) is perfect. This (Universe)is perfect. Perfect comes from perfect. Take perfect from perfect, the remainder is perfect alone (God alone)". Both Spinoza's God and the God of the Upanishads share the notion of a transcendental, all-encompassing reality that underlies and permeates the universe. They both suggest a non-anthropomorphic understanding of the divine and emphasize the interconnectedness of all existence.

[@LuisAldamiz]

@@AdvaiticOneness1 - So they don't seek Mokhsa (Nirvana)? Weird that they make a point of not just ascetism but also the most strict vegetarianism, even, in the case of holy men going around with a veil over the mouth and nose and sweeping the floor as they walk in order not to hurt any insect accidentally. That doesn't seem consistent with embracing the world for what it is, "perfect" or not. I understand that Jainism (or proto-Jainism maybe) was a major influence in Buddha's life (always according to legend) and that in the end he rejected it and chose "the middle path" (still as road to Mokhsa but at least more balanced with Reality). O feel that all those "Vedic" sects are in the line of rejecting Reality, which they consider painful illusion, some sort of purgatory or even hell maybe, and trying to overcome it. I don't think Spinoza does that at all, that's rather the path of the Judaic religions, even if they are different because they don't believe in reincarnation but a single (strictly individual) life and death.

[@TakiGosc427]

If you talk about philosophers, maybe can you make episode about scholasticism? I feel their "scientific" thought is quite interesting as a contrast to the image of anti-rational middle ages

[@judithtaylormayo]

In my blissful ignorance I hadnt heard of Spinosa. He states in a clear and intelligent way how I feel about God. This sounds very much as what I believe, thus it would be very beneficial for me to read some of his works. Please suggest to me what book I should beginwith. I hope he is easy to read because I am not good at understanding (example) Shakespeare lingo.

[@marjakeizer9580]

One of the most integer people that ever lived. His sister sued him for the entire heritage of their parents or he sued her and when she lost the case or he won it, he gave her his share and went on making his modest living by grinding lenses.

[@cheri238]

I know 📚

[@jocelynbolduc2769]

Quantum (Bis). 😂❤😊

[@franciscogomez5106]

❤👍🙏🤲🙏✡️🕊⚒️✌️

[@jocelynbolduc2769]

Ethics? Talk about it...❤😊

[@Adaguflo]

Omg, so Spinoza is now my prophet XD

[@yingandyanglife5858]

Spinoza might have copied this philosophy from ancient Hindu scriptures. They also has this same concept.

[@marinaaaa2735]

Spinoza is the greatest philosopher of all time imo

[@yingandyanglife5858]

Ever heard about Sri Shankaracharya?

[@AdvaiticOneness1]

​@@yingandyanglife5858Adi Shankaracharya's immense contributions have often been overlooked, despite his status as one of the most remarkable philosophers and poets in the annals of human history.

[@odonnelly46]

Ever heard of Plato? All other philosophers are a footnote to Plato.

[@zovalentine7305]

The Creator is within ❤

[@MsPiinkFllamingo]

Spinoza is my god. Lol 😂

[@aminrodriguez4707]

Just so you know, I AM GOD INTOXICATED, YET ATHEIST. It wasn't just Baruch.

[@sharpno2pencil476]

awwww! wheres your beautiful face??? 😢

[@friendlymurtad]

Would spinoza’s belief be similar to Taoism?

[@jorgemtds]

SPINOZA is a Spanish name.

[@kameelffarag]

Spinoza is the Most sensible and logical as well as realistic philosopher. The Jews of his days are forgotten, but his memory is delight to the intellectuals.

[@bayreuth79]

What Spinoza meant by 'freedom' is very different from what most modern people mean by 'freedom' and I am sure that if he were resurrected and could have a look around modern Europe he would not like what he was seeing. Freedom in our societies is indistinguishable from license and apathy. Freedom for Spinoza first and foremost required freedom from the passions, not freedom for the passions!

[@LuisAldamiz]

Freedom is the ability to think on your own, to speak your mind and to choose in your life. Collective freedom is the same but as society. If I can choose to climb the mountain or stay at home, that's a freedom and thus my choice. Choices can be arguably wrong but that's not a problem of freedom, it's a problem of how one makes choices, in the case of arguable wrong choices this is maybe because of ignorance or maybe because of acquired compulsion/vice or maybe because of conscious informed choice based on parameters different of yours (or whoever else dares to judge). Anyhow apathy is not caused by freedom but by lack of it: too much work and economic stress for example cause people to fall exhausted outside work into anything that gives them pleasure and relaxation (call it "licence" if you wish but it's actually trying to de-stress and rest), feeling lack of power in socio-economic-political decisions causes people to fall into despair regarding common affairs (call it "apathy"). You are not really understanding why people behave as they do or how the system (which is in spite of appearances not democratic, because it is not the people who actually rule but the owners of the media, the mega-rich) induces such behaviors (consumrism essentially) into the people.

[@ulaznar]

@@LuisAldamiz There are 3 main conceptions of liberty: Traditional: being free from one's own passions Classical liberal: being free from interference / non aggression principle Modern liberal: being free to do whatever one likes Most people ignore that such differences exist, and could misinterpret what a philosopher meant by freedom

[@LuisAldamiz]

@@ulaznar - That's your interpretation but the first time the word "free" appears is in a Sumerian text with the meaning opposite to "slave". It's as simple as that: either you're bound to others and have no agency or you do. If you do, then you're your own master and that's freedom in a nutshell. This is not about morality (which only means "custom", "tradition", the typical pointless appeal to authority of scholastics or worse: lawyers!), this is about essences. Ultimately we are the hunter-gatherers, no matter how lost and confused and alienated we are in later unnatural societies, especially hierarchical ones, all our evolution pushes us to be those "primitives", that's why we want what I consider the three essences or "three pillars of good": truth, social justice (or even communism) and freedom, because that's what we evolved that way: if you are not happy in uncle Osaba's camp you move to aunt Izeba's, and if you (and hopefully a few others) truly get at odds with your community as a whole, you can move away and form a new one beyond the hill or whatever. That's freedom: freedom is that you choose with whom you sleep and possibly have babies and are not raped, freedom is that you are not coerced, abused, generally enslaved in full or part. I don't know if hunter-gatherers had words for freedom, because they did not have slavery or oppression in general. Maybe they had a word for "rights" instead? It seems more practical-specific but ultimately it means the same. In Basque, which is a Neolithic language for all practical purposes, free is said "aske" and AFAIK has no cognates other than "aski" = "enough!", "no more!". So freedom would seem to be about setting the limits of others' abuse on the indvidual or, by extension, the collectivity.

[@bayreuth79]

Spinoza was not a pantheist but a pan-en-theist since God or substance transcends the modes of extension and mind (i.e., the only realities we know). Spinoza said himself that he could affirm, along with St Paul, that "in him we live and move and have our being". Many of the Church Fathers were pan-en-theists, as Met. Kallistos Ware has demonstrated, including Gregory Palamas.

[@miguelatkinson]

But didn't he critize Christianity and the bible I don't think he was a panentheist

[@LuisAldamiz]

Spinoza clearly states that God has necessarily infinite attributes, thus It is good and evil, male and female, compassive and cruel, panentheist and pantheist, conscious and unconscious, real and unreal, etc. In the end it is like the Dao about which not much can be said without getting it wrong. Why? Because we are finite slices of God, finite avatars, finite in space, time and capabilities and our words only mean that much.

[@americaeaustraliaepius4338]

All church fathers had an idea of a personal Divine, Spinoza didn't. Church fathers still acknowledge the god of the OT as the Divine absolute, which should be completely impersonal and beyond cultural traditions.

[@bayreuth79]

@@miguelatkinson Yes, he did. What’s your point? Agreeing with what St Paul wrote is not the same as agreeing with the whole of Christian doctrine.

[@bayreuth79]

@@americaeaustraliaepius4338 Yes, I know. I never said that Spinoza and the Church Fathers agree in toto. I said that they are both pan-en-theists but they have differing understandings if that.

[@nikhillrao3799]

He's like thh Dutch Jesus lol

[@MrNenai]

Love your Videos, but please give us more influential female figures in history. They more than deserve it

[@ulaznar]

Most women weren't highly educated for most of history though

[@catholicpog7183]

Women haven't been nearly as influential in history. There are some examples but they are exceptions.

[@paulgauntlet7921]

Julian of Norwich and Hildegard of Bingen are both incredible!

[@robinharwood5044]

It’s an insult to Spinoza to call him Baruch. The name he chose to use, the name he published under, and the name he was known by until recently, was “Benedict”. “Baruch” was the name he was given in the synagogue, and the name under which he was cursed, reviled, and excommunicated by the rabbis.

[@gabrielleangelica1977]

Do you believe in Spinoza's God?

[@yingandyanglife5858]

You don't have to believe, you are already a part of it! Lol

[@gabrielleangelica1977]

@@yingandyanglife5858 God is EVERYWHERE!

[@nightfears3005]

The correct term to use for the philosophy of Spinoza is "Atheist" - nothing else.

[@odonnelly46]

He was not an atheist.

[@christianbutcher716]

Democracies don't delineate truth necessarily

[@user-kj8yl6sn2z]

My dear, I find that you are curious about understanding Islam. I suggest that you watch the debates and discussions of Muslim preachers with Christians and atheists, and learn about the reasons why some Christians and atheists accept Islam from these dialogues, such as the following channels: DawahIsEasy Channel, The Muslim Lantern( Mohamed Ali), DUS Dawah Channel (shamsi), and One Message Foundation Channel (Sheikh Othman bin Al-Farouq) , Sheikh Mohammad Tarawneh, EFDawah, I am “THE WARNER” ,One True Message Foundation.

[@badmephisto2]

Very similar to mulla sadra and Ibn Arabi. Your interpretation of pantheism is wrong. It is closer to wahdatul wujud.