Steven Nadler, "Spinoza: A Life" (Cambridge UP, 2022)

The podcast explores the life and philosophical contributions of Baruch Spinoza, a 17th-century philosopher. Steven Nadler, a scholar specializing in 17th-century philosophy and Jewish studies, discusses Spinoza's family background as refugees from the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions, his education within the Amsterdam Jewish community, and the circumstances leading to his excommunication. Nadler clarifies misconceptions about Spinoza’s training as a rabbi, highlighting his brief involvement in the family business. The conversation also covers Spinoza's move to the Dutch countryside, his relationships with intellectual circles in Amsterdam and The Hague, and his reasons for postponing the publication of his book "Ethics" due to political and religious controversies.