God and Society in Spinoza’s Notion of ‘Freedom’ in his Political Theory

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Çelik F.

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, vol.36, no.4, pp.544-552, 2013 (Scopus)

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 36 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2013
  • Journal Name: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
  • Journal Indexes: Scopus, ABI/INFORM, EMBASE, Geobase
  • Page Numbers: pp.544-552
  • Anadolu University Affiliated: No

Abstract

Spinoza is an ideologist who dealt with the political philosophy differently than other early modern philosophers of his age. First of all, Spinoza rejected the state theories dismissing God and he revisited the position of God when explaining the “state of nature”. In addition to that Spinoza introduced the notion of “agreement” replacing the modern view of “contract” to explain the legality of state and its relationship with the society. His distinct ideas on these two subjects separated him from the other philosopher of his age as well as his successors. Spinoza’s views on “freedom” within this context are remarkable because they were a criticism adressed to the foundations of political philosophy of the era and at the same time consistent and helding the issue as a matter of “preference”.