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Healing the Mind: The Philosophy of Spinoza Adapted for a New Age
by Neal Grossman
The influence of the 17th-century Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza is often overlooked by today's intellectuals and academics. It might be that Spinoza was too bright for today's minds: His theories encompassed theology, mathematics, physics, and nature, merging the spiritual and intellectual into a flawless union. Clearly, one can't encapsulate him into Spinoza for Dummies.
Neal Grossman's Healing the Mind: The Philosophy of Spinoza Adopted for a New Age (Susquehanna University Press, $44.50, 253 pages) brings Spinoza's complexity into the contemporary mindframe. Don't be alarmed by the title, for this is not New Age babble. Instead, it is a detailed examination of Spinoza's views on God, nature, and humanity encompassing emotions, sexuality, and being at inner and outer peace.
For those seeking an introduction to Spinoza's philosophy, this may not be the place to start. Grossman's writing is generally academic in tone, although he sprinkles playful humor at unexpected moments (a focus on discernment uses the analogy of a lion and zebra with imaginary philosophic champions for both creatures).
Healing the Mind is a deep and remarkable challenge that puts the reader on guard to handle intellectual exercises, concentrative thought, and the expectation of seeing the world through Spinoza's eyes. If you are up to the challenge and can adjust your sight accordingly, the view is peerless.
Neal Grossman's Healing the Mind: The Philosophy of Spinoza Adopted for a New Age (Susquehanna University Press, $44.50, 253 pages) brings Spinoza's complexity into the contemporary mindframe. Don't be alarmed by the title, for this is not New Age babble. Instead, it is a detailed examination of Spinoza's views on God, nature, and humanity encompassing emotions, sexuality, and being at inner and outer peace.
For those seeking an introduction to Spinoza's philosophy, this may not be the place to start. Grossman's writing is generally academic in tone, although he sprinkles playful humor at unexpected moments (a focus on discernment uses the analogy of a lion and zebra with imaginary philosophic champions for both creatures).
Healing the Mind is a deep and remarkable challenge that puts the reader on guard to handle intellectual exercises, concentrative thought, and the expectation of seeing the world through Spinoza's eyes. If you are up to the challenge and can adjust your sight accordingly, the view is peerless.
Reviewed by Phil Hall for New York Resident <Top>
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