Hardcover(New Edition)
-
PICK UP IN STORECheck Availability at Nearby Stores
Available within 2 business hours
Related collections and offers
Overview
The Collected Works of Spinoza provides, for the first time in English, a truly satisfactory edition of all of Spinoza's writings, with accurate and readable translations, based on the best critical editions of the original-language texts, done by a scholar who has published extensively on the philosopher's work.
The centerpiece of this second volume is Spinoza’s Theological-Political Treatise, a landmark work in the history of biblical scholarship, the first argument for democracy by a major philosopher, and a forceful defense of freedom of thought and expression. This work is accompanied by Spinoza’s later correspondence, much of which responds to criticism of the Theological-Political Treatise. The volume also includes his last work, the unfinished Political Treatise, which builds on the foundations of the Theological-Political Treatise to offer plans for the organization of nontyrannical monarchies and aristocracies.
The elaborate editorial apparatus—including prefaces, notes, glossary, and indexes—assists the reader in understanding one of the world’s most fascinating, but also most difficult, philosophers. Of particular interest is the glossary-index, which provides extensive commentary on Spinoza’s technical vocabulary.
A milestone of scholarship more than forty-five years in the making, The Collected Works of Spinoza is an essential edition for anyone with a serious interest in Spinoza or the history of philosophy.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780691167633 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Princeton University Press |
| Publication date: | 06/07/2016 |
| Edition description: | New Edition |
| Pages: | 792 |
| Sales rank: | 849,720 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.50(w) x 9.40(h) x 2.40(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
The Collected Works of Spinoza Volume II
By Edwin Curley
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
Copyright © 2016 Princeton University PressAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-691-16763-3
CHAPTER 1
Letters, 29–41
SEPTEMBER 1665–SEPTEMBER 1669
* * *
EDITORIAL PREFACE
People and Themes
Spinoza's principal correspondents in this period are Henry Oldenburg, Johannes Hudde, and Jarig Jelles. He exchanged five letters with Oldenburg (Letters 29–33) and sent three letters each to Hudde (Letters 34–36) and Jelles (Letters 39–41). There are also single letters to Johannes Bouwmeester (Letter 37) and Johannes van der Meer (Letter 38).
Oldenburg
Oldenburg (1619–1677) we know well from Volume I. The letters he and Spinoza exchanged in this period tell us a good deal about Spinoza's interaction with contemporary scientists. Particularly important is Christiaan Huygens, whom he seems to have known well in these years, and whose research he was happy to report on.
We learn also that by the fall of 1665 Spinoza had begun work on the Theological-Political Treatise (TTP). It's clear from what he tells Oldenburg that one reason for writing this work was that he did not find the Dutch Republic to be as free as he would claim it was in his Preface. An illustration of this is that while he was working on the TTP, the arrest, trial, imprisonment, and death in prison of his good friend Adriaan Koerbagh vividly demonstrated the limits of the Dutch Republic's willingness to allow freedom of thought and expression.
Koerbagh's crime was to have published one work (Een Bloemhof van allerley lieflijkheid A Flower Garden of all kinds of loveliness]) and to have attempted to publish another (Een Ligt schijnende in duystere plaatsen A Light shining in dark places]) which criticized organized religion from a point of view closely resembling the one Spinoza was to articulate in the TTP. He represented the Hebrew Bible as a work of human authorship, compiled by Ezra from other Jewish writings which had been handed down to him, and which included many stories no more credible than the legends surrounding Till Eulenspiegel. What is important in the Bible is just its core moral teaching: we must know and obey God, and love our neighbors.
When we first encounter talk of the TTP, in Letters 29–30, it appears that Spinoza may have conceived it more as a theological work than as a political one. "I am now composing," he writes, "a treatise on my opinion regarding scripture." This would be an inadequate description of the work eventually published in 1670, which supplemented the theological argument for freedom of thought and expression with an argument drawn from political theory. It seems possible that Spinoza may have broadened the scope of his argument because he was distressed that the civil authorities had bowed to ecclesiastical pressure in the persecution of Koerbagh, and wanted to defend their right to allow greater freedom than the clergy would be inclined to permit.
Perhaps Spinoza was also influenced by his reading of Hobbes' Leviathan, whose text became available to him, during this period, in languages he could read, first in a Dutch translation by his friend Abraham van Berckel (1667), and then in Hobbes' own Latin translation (1668). Hobbes may have helped him to see how a secular approach to political theory could provide a useful way of defending religious liberty. Unfortunately the surviving correspondence from this period provides little information about the work which was probably occupying most of Spinoza's attention. From this correspondence you would think that he was concentrating mainly on the Ethics and on his scientific work.
In their correspondence from this period Oldenburg is still in his encouraging mode. See particularly Letter 31, whose message is: "Get your philosophy out; everything will be all right; you live in a free country; and anyway, you wouldn't really say anything to harm religion, would you?" His attitude will change once he has read the TTP.
The letter which has attracted the most philosophical discussion is Letter 32, where Spinoza responds to Oldenburg's question concerning our knowledge of how the parts of Nature agree with the whole and with each other. Spinoza does not claim to know how these things agree, which he says would require knowing the whole of Nature and all of its parts. But he thinks it clear that there is such an agreement, and what this seems to mean for him is that the human body and the human mind are parts of nature (IV/173a). What that in turn seems to mean is that the body is part of a law-governed causal network, and that the mind is part of an infinite intellect which reflects everything that happens in nature. Our impression that we and the things around us are independent of one another is an illusion born of our finitude and ignorance.
Oldenburg's final letter to Spinoza in this period, Letter 33, is the last we have between them for ten years. In 1667 Oldenburg was imprisoned in the Tower of London for two months, on suspicions aroused by his extensive foreign correspondence. The time he spent in the Tower may have contributed to the greater caution he showed when their correspondence resumed in 1675. See, for example, Letters 61 and 62.
Hudde
Johannes Hudde (1628–1704) was a student at the University of Leiden in the 1650s. There he became interested in mathematics, and joined a research group led by Frans van Schooten, which translated Descartes' Geometry into Latin, publishing it in an edition which also contained appendices by Van Schooten, Jan de Witt, and Hudde. Though he published relatively little in mathematics, he is said to have been recognized in his own time as "one of the greatest living mathematicians." Leibniz studied his unpublished mathematical manuscripts, reported finding many excellent results in them, and may have been influenced by them in developing the calculus.
Hudde also worked in optics, producing microscopes and grinding lenses for telescopes, and corresponded with Huygens concerning problems of probability, life expectancy, and canal maintenance, a subject in which he took a strong interest after he became burgomaster of Amsterdam in 1672. He held that post for thirty years. In 1657 he directed the flooding of parts of Holland to block the advance of the French army.
The three letters to Hudde are mainly concerned with problems about the nature of God and the consequences of his necessary existence. To some extent this material duplicates arguments we are familiar with from the Ethics, but there are some interesting variations on the presentations there. The final letter in this series discusses a problem in optics and asks Hudde's advice about it.
Jelles
We did not encounter Jarig Jelles (1619/20?–1683) in Volume I. He was a Mennonite, associated with the Collegiant movement, and one of Spinoza's closest friends. As a young man he was a grocery merchant, but by 1653 he had accumulated enough wealth to entrust his business to a manager, and dedicate himself to the pursuit of knowledge. He was one of those who persuaded Spinoza to publish his geometric exposition of Descartes' Principles of Philosophy, whose publication he subsidized. The letters to Jelles in this period mainly concern scientific (or pseudoscientific) matters, in optics, hydrodynamics, and alchemy.
Bouwmeester
We met Johannes Bouwmeester, a close friend of Spinoza's, in Volume I. I have nothing to add to the biographical information given there. The letter addressed to him in this section of the correspondence, Letter 37, is particularly interesting for its discussion of method, in a manner reminiscent of the TdIE, and for its claim that the intellect is not liable, as the body is, to the accidents of fortune.
Van der Meer
Not much is known about Johannes van der Meer, the addressee of Letter 38, except that he was a merchant in Leiden.
Provenance of the Letters
For most letters I give the source in parentheses after its number in this edition.
"OP" indicates that the default text for translation is the Latin version in the Opera posthuma; "NS," that the default text is the Dutch of the Nagelate schriften; "A" means that it is an autograph copy; "C," a copy, but not an autograph. In cases too complicated to indicate in this simple fashion, a footnote indicates the source. I do not claim to have noted all differences between different versions of the letters, but hope to have noted the most important of them.
In the OP the letters are organized first by correspondent, according to the frequency of correspondence — so Oldenburg, for whom the editors had twenty-five letters to and from Spinoza, comes first, whereas Burgh, for whom they had only two letters, comes last. The arrangement and numbering in the NS are the same as that in the OP. The Hackett editors are prone to say of certain letters (e.g., 31, 33, 42, 47, etc.) that they are known only from the OP. But any letter included in the OP appears also in Dutch in the NS. Since the NS translations were not done from the OP, this sometimes provides a useful check on the typesetting of the OP.
In general I follow the Gebhardt text, except where emended in AHW, giving preference to the OP unless the original was written in Dutch, or there is a copy of the original which has a claim to precedence. Where the bracketed page numbers are followed by an "a" — as in Letter 37, for example — that indicates that the text I am translating appears in the upper half of the Gebhardt page. A "b" in the bracketed page numbers — as in Letter 39 — indicates that the text translated appears on the lower half of the Gebhardt page.
Spinoza and Oldenburg
Of Letters 29–33 (to and from Oldenburg), Letter 29 was not in the OP; Gebhardt's text comes from the original preserved in the Orphanage of the Mennonite Collegiants in Amsterdam. Letter 30 also was not in the OP. It consists of two fragments discovered at different times in Oldenburg's correspondence. Wolf discovered the first and published it in Philosophy 10 (1935): 200–204. He had found it quoted — as news from "an odd philosopher, that lives in Holland, but no Hollander" — in a letter from Oldenburg to Sir Robert Moray, 7 October 1665. The second was first published in an edition of Boyle's works (The Works of the Honourable Robert Boyle [London, 1744]). Oldenburg quoted it in a letter to Boyle of 10 October 1665, in which Oldenburg again described Spinoza as "a certain odd philosopher," but this time added "whom you know better than he [Sir Robert Moray], it being Signior Spinoza." Gebhardt has only the second fragment.
Letter 31 is mainly from the OP, where it is Letter 14. A few words have been added from the NS version. Letter 32 was Letter 15 in the OP, whose text is the primary basis for the translation. But some text (marked "A" for autograph) has been added from the original, which is in the possession of the Royal Society in London. Letter 33 is Letter 16 in the OP (with a brief addition from the NS version).
Spinoza and Hudde
Letters 34–36 (to Hudde) were all written originally in Dutch and appeared in both the OP and the NS, where they are Letters 39–41. Neither the OP nor the NS indicates the addressee of these letters. Van Vloten and Land thought they were written to Huygens. More recent editors have concluded that Hudde was the addressee. There is a note by Leibniz to this effect (AHW), and the recent discovery of Hudde's Specilla circularia, to which Spinoza refers in Letter 36, confirms it.
Van Vloten and Land and Gebhardt assumed that Spinoza had translated the Dutch originals into Latin for the OP, and that the NS translator retranslated the Latin versions back into Dutch, which would make the NS versions further removed from the original than the OP versions. I believe Akkerman has shown that this is extremely unlikely. But I believe Akkerman has also shown it to be unlikely that the NS versions simply reproduce the originals, that the Dutch of the NS had probably received some editorial revisions, and that the Latin translations of the OP were probably done from the original. Following the lead of AHW, I translate the OP version, noting potentially significant NS variations in the notes.
Spinoza and Bouwmeester
Letter 37 (to Bouwmeester) was written originally in Latin and is Letter 42 in the OP and NS. A copy, not in Spinoza's hand, was preserved in the Orphanage of the Mennonite Collegiants and printed by Gebhardt at the bottom of the page. I translate the OP version, noting variations in the copy where I think they might be interesting.
Spinoza and Van der Meer
Letter 38 (to Van der Meer), originally written in Dutch, is known only from the NS and the OP translation. Gebhardt prints the NS version in the upper half of the page, because he doesn't think Spinoza himself was responsible for the OP version. His reasons for thinking this may be dubious, but his conclusion is probably right. I translate the NS version, noting potentially significant variations in the OP.
Spinoza and Jelles
Letters 39–41 (to Jelles) were originally written in Dutch. Gebhardt gives priority to the Latin versions of the OP, on the theory (rejected above) that Spinoza himself was responsible for that translation. The situation is similar to that in the letters to Hudde. But in this case I give priority to the Dutch versions, relegating the variations in the Latin to the footnotes. They are letters 44–46 in the NS.
CHAPTER 2[IV/164] Letter 29 (A)
Henry Oldenburg to the Very Illustrious Gentleman B. D. S.
[5] Most Excellent Sir, and dearest Friend,
From your last letter to me, written on 4 September, it is clear that You take our affairs to heart, not casually. You have obliged not only me, but also our most noble Mr. Boyle, who joins me in sending you the greatest thanks, and who will, at the earliest opportunity, repay [10] your kindness and affection with every kind of service he can render. You can be sure that the same is true of me.
As for that overzealous man who, in spite of the translation of the Treatise on Colors now ready here, nevertheless wanted to prepare another one, perhaps he will think he has acted against his [15] own interest in his ill-timed eagerness. For what will become of his Translation if the Author should enlarge the Latin version available here in England with a great many Experiments not found in the English edition? Necessarily ours, to be distributed shortly now, would then be completely preferred to his, and thought much more [20] valuable by all sensible men. But let him be pleased with himself, if he wishes. We shall look after our own business as seems most advisable to us.
Kircher's Subterranean World has not yet appeared in our English world, because of the plague, which prohibits almost all commerce. In addition we have this dreadful War, which brings with it nothing [25] but an Iliad of evils, and almost banishes all civilized behavior from the world.
In the meantime, however, although our Philosophic Society holds no public meetings at this dangerous time, nevertheless here and there its Fellows do not forget that they are such. So separately some devote themselves to Hydrostatic Experiments, some to Anatomical Experiments, others to Mechanical Experiments, and still others to other [30] subjects. Mr. Boyle has examined the origin of Forms and Qualities as it has heretofore been treated in the Schools and by teachers and has [IV/165] composed a treatise on it — undoubtedly excellent — which will soon go to press.
I see that You are not so much philosophizing as (if it is permissible to speak thus) Theologizing; for you are recording your thoughts about Angels, prophecy and miracles. But perhaps you are doing this Philosophically. However that may be, I am sure that the work will be [5] worthy of you and something I shall want very much to see. Since these very difficult times stand in the way of freedom of communication, I ask you at least not to be reluctant to indicate to me in your next letter what your plan and aim are in this writing of yours.
Every day we expect news here of a second naval battle, unless perhaps [10] your Fleet has returned again to port. The courage which you hint is debated among you is bestial, not human. For if men acted according to the guidance of reason, they would not tear one another to pieces in this way, as anyone can see. But why am I complaining? There will be vices as long as there are men. But they don't go on without interruption, and they are compensated for by the arrival of better times.
[15] While I was writing this, a letter was delivered to me from the distinguished Danzig Astronomer, Mr. Johannes Hevelius, who tells me, among other things, that his Cometography, consisting of twelve books, has already been in press for a whole year now, and that 400 pages, or the first nine books, are finished. He indicates, furthermore, that he [20] has sent me several Copies of his Prodromus Cometicus, in which he has described fully the first of the two recent Comets. But these have not yet reached me. He has decided, in addition, to publish another book on the second Comet, and to submit it to the judgment of the learned.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Collected Works of Spinoza Volume II by Edwin Curley. Copyright © 2016 Princeton University Press. Excerpted by permission of PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
General Preface, ix
Short titles and Abbreviations, xix
Letters: September 1665–September 1669
Editorial Preface, 3
Letters 29–41, 10
A Critique of Theology and Politics
Editorial Preface, 45
Theological-Political Treatise, 65
Letters: January 1671–Late 1676
Editorial Preface, 357
Letters 42–84, 374
Designs for Stable States
Editorial Preface, 491
Political Treatise, 503
Glossary-Index
Preface, 607
Glossary, 613
Latin-Dutch-English Index, 666
Index of Biblical and Talmudic References, 713
Index of Proper Names, 721
Works Cited, 725
Correlation of the Alm and Bruder Paragraph Numbers (ttp), 767
What People are Saying About This
"With this volume, Edwin Curley completes his ambitious project to make Spinoza's difficult thought accessible to an English-speaking audience. Curley's edition sets a very high standard, not only for translation, but for scholarly editions of every kind. His translations are both philosophically astute and readable, while his notes inform the reader of the latest results of textual scholarship. Furthermore, his multilingual glossary-index is an invaluable guide to Spinoza's often idiosyncratic vocabulary. This is an edition of Spinoza for the ages: students and scholars will be reading Curley's Spinoza for many years to come."—Daniel Garber, Princeton University"This is not just an extraordinarily important and beautifully rendered translation, but a magisterial work of scholarship. The long-awaited second volume, which includes the political writings and later letters, is especially welcome. Curley's edition of Spinoza's writings will, and should, remain the standard text of Spinoza in English for generations to come."—Steven Nadler, author of A Book Forged in Hell: Spinoza's Scandalous Treatise and the Birth of the Secular Age