Spinoza: A Philosophy of Human Freedom

This is the first book I have written in Japanese. Before I knew it, I was over 50 years old. Exactly 30 years had passed since I first encountered Spinoza's work in the spring semester of my junior year of college.

I have long wanted to write an introductory book on Spinoza, the philosopher who lived in the 17th-century Netherlands, that general readers could easily pick up. And if I were to write it, I wanted it to be a book that not only introduces an outline of his thought by deciphering his major works (which is an essential task in itself), but also retraces his entire life.

There are direct and indirect reasons why I felt this way. The direct reason is quite simple: Spinoza is a philosopher whose life and thought are interesting as a whole. Spinoza's life, commonly said to be "44 years, 2 months, and 27 days," was short but turbulent and full of various episodes. Not one of those episodes feels unlike Spinoza, and conversely, I feel that if even one of them were missing, Spinoza would not be the Spinoza we know.

The indirect reason is that there are simply few introductory books that introduce Spinoza's life and thought in a well-balanced manner. Most introductory books on Spinoza written in Japan and abroad have been specialized in introducing his thought, treating his life only in a hurried manner. Of course, there are works that tackle Spinoza's life head-on, but as a result of focusing on overly detailed historical research, they are all as thick as telephone books and are by no means suitable for beginners.

When I began writing, the ideal balance I had in mind was Kisaku Kudo's "Spinoza" (Shimizu Shoin). However, more than 40 years have passed since its publication, and when reviewed from today's research standards, errors are scattered throughout, particularly in the description of his life. This book is the result of my efforts to inherit Mr. Kudo's sense of balance while appropriately reflecting 21st-century research standards. I hope you enjoy it.

Spinoza: A Philosophy of Human Freedom

Kazuhiko Yoshida

Kodansha Gendai Shinsho

416 pages, 1,320 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.