Reading Spinoza in the Anthropocene - (Spinoza Studies) by Genevieve Lloyd (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Central to Genevieve Lloyd's approach is a fresh look at Spinoza's critique of what he regards as Descartes' flawed way of imagining the nature and status of human thought in relation to the rest of Nature. Lloyd argues that the influence of the Cartesian model lingers in the contemporary collective imagination. She challenges a common way of reading the Ethics, which reflects and reinforces the figure of Spinoza as a 'rationalist' -- committed to the superiority and dominance of Reason within human minds. By offering a more nuanced account of Spinoza's version of Reason, Lloyd brings his philosophy to bear on a range of familiar, but largely unexamined attitudes, which connect the supposed supremacy of Reason within the human mind to humanity's supposed supremacy within Nature.

Review Quotes

Over many years, and across several publications, Genevieve Lloyd has demonstrated that Spinoza's thought is not a mere historical curiosity, but offers crucial resources to comprehend our contemporary predicament and to engage with the world around us. Reading Spinoza in the Anthropocene is a brilliant effort to think through the major challenges faced by humanity duty from the perspective of Spinoza's radical philosophy. A must read for Spinoza scholars and anyone who cares about the fate of humanity today.