Despite widespread agreement as to its importance, the concept of the Love of God in Spinoza continues to frustrate readers and scholars alike. Offering a radical re-reading of Spinoza's works and thought as first and foremost a philosophy of love, Spinoza: A Philosopher of Love expands and recasts my dissertation to present a comprehensive study of Spinoza's entire oeuvre with the love of God as a central if not cardinal concept and value for Spinoza. In turn, the book then re-examines his metaphysical, political, and religious projects, arguing for a reorientation of the present prioritization of propositions and concepts in his works, especially in light of the fundamental axiological role the concept plays. In the end, rather than being the stumbling block upon which certain concepts or interpretations of Spinoza fall, the love of God, it is argued, both undergirds and orients much if not all of his thought, and becomes the key to a more coherent understanding of crucial concepts, his thought, works, and philosophy as a whole.

Author Biography

Erik Dreff, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, U.S.A.