The Case for Spinoza's Mysticism

Was Spinoza a Mystic? Presenting: The Case for Spinoza’s Mysticism.

The final chapter of Spinoza’s Magnum Opus, the Ethics has been called “impenetrable,” and its central idea of amor dei intelectualis, intellectual love of God, “the central doctrine in Spinoza’s philosophy” has been called “one of the more opaque elements in a work full of opacity.” Many, even those that taken Spinoza very seriously, have dismissed this final chapter as “worthless,” “an unmitigated disaster,” “a concession to the masses,” they said the rigorous philosopher has “gone soft” and “fallen back into his mystical experience” as his clarity waned.

We say nay nay, Spinoza did not go soft, wane, buckle, sway or break at the end. Spinoza’s final chapter - enigmatic religious language and all - is nothing less than the stunning crowing culmination of his life’s work. Spinoza’s great mind glimpsed the secrets of the universe, the rhythm and riddles of Nature and the essence of God. In his final chapter he put pen to paper to pass over what he gleaned, to guide others, for centuries to come, toward a life of love, peace, eudaimonia, salvation and blessedness. All without compromising for a moment on his lucid, rigorous, logical and mathematically form.

When one of history’s greatest minds tells us the secret to salvation, we ought to pay close attention. If we do, and manage to penetrate his words, time may just stop and allow us to see things as he did, sub species aeternitatis, under the aspect of eternity. And the love, bliss, calm and respite that seeps through the paused moments of time will find you waiting.

00:00 Spinoza was a what?!
02:08 Intro: Mysticism vs Monism
11:12 Content: Third Kind of Knowledge
15:07 Method: Rationality vs Mysticism
19:11 Amor Dei Intelectualis: State of Love
25:54 Extent: Spinoza’s Epistemological Hubris
27:56 Qualia: State of Mind
34:04 Summary: The Case
35:11 Conclusion: Spinoza’s Mysticism

Check out the rest of our Spinoza Series:

Check out our college Justin Sledge @TheEsotericaChannel's accompanying video: Spinoza - Rationalist Atheist or Mystical Pantheist ? Exploring Spinozism from Toland to Deleuze

Some fun sources:
The Intellectual Love of God, Steven Nadler, The Oxford Handbook of Spinoza
Warren Zev Harvey, “‘Ishq, Hesheq, Amor Dei Intellectualis,” in Steven Nadler, ed. Spinoza and Medieval Jewish Philosophy (Cambridge University Press, 2014), 96-108.

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#Spinoza
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[karelperriens]

Many years ago (I was about 20 years old) I was discussing with a friend about the how we limit ourselves by the habits we blindly follow. Just for one moment, everything around me came to a hold, there was no more sound, no more movement. In that moment I experienced the wholeness and the oneness of everything, I was outside time in a different all inculive reality... That moment changed my being for ever. The funny thing is that none of my friends had noticed anything. I had no other choice than to leave their company and be on my own, overwhelmed by the blessing.
Spinoza (and you) refer to that kind blessing, I got the tears in my eyes... As for this video, I never heared something so beautiful on youtube.
May you go well!

[leom]

Thanks for ths amazing journey through this Spinoza playlist. God bless you

[HalTuberman]

This is the best series on Spinoza on YouTube. Executed with scholarly precision. You did a great job, Zevi. (applause, applause, applause). I think Spinoza *is* a mystic. Just a very, very, very realistic one. But I don't want to get into that. I just want to say "great job" and I enjoyed this series immensely.

[francisjames]

I'm just going to go ahead and say it. This is my new favorite channel. 👍

[ramkitty]

I am tots an spinostic mystic. "Knowing is a feeling" dr Stuart hameroff. Having a broad knowledge set casts a larger net that experience can draw upon.

[betweenearthandsky]

I'm writing a comparative essay between Spinoza's and Leibniz's conception of God. Listening to you brings such joy to my heart. Thank you Zevi ☺

[collinharman]

I'm a big fan of Deleuze, so Spinoza has always interested me, but the video pushed me to actually read The Ethics- while I'm no Spinoza scholar myself, and I don't think the question of "was Spinoza a mystic" is any sort of smoking gun, I get the sense that Spinoza's impact on secular thought has overshadowed the more nuanced view on God that he clearly seemed have had from reading especially the fifth chapter of the ethics.
Love your channel, thanks for pushing me towards Spinoza! Hope to see a video on Deleuze someday, I think his thought has a lot to offer mysticism.

[oscarzolettoluyando]

Man, this is the video about Spinoza I had needed for a very long time! Thank you!

[javiersoto]

Keep up the good work. Mysticism has the potential to transform the world for the better and by educating people on what it really is gives us a better chance of understanding it. :)

[elizabethturner]

I first read the Ethics in an effort to make sense of an inexplicable experience, and it more or less explained what had happened. More to the point, I’m not at all sure I would have grasped the intent of the book without the experience, so obviously I agree, there is a mystical dimension to Spinoza. Anyone who can see it knows it’s there, and so sorry for Nadler, who clearly missed out.

Thank you so much for this series. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.

[lewisalmeida]

Thank you for your excellent podcast, giving us an overview of the importance of Spinoza's philosophy. As a student of Spinoza's philosophy, I have studied Spinoza's Ethics extensively, and I believe to really understand Spinoza, you must live his ideas. I have more than a theoretical concept. After 40 years of work, I now teach, mentor, and coach those who want to live, understand, and love as Spinoza did.

[debbygrupp]

Over 26 years ago, I, having had a mystical experience at the age of 22, struggled to convince my professor of philosophy that that Spinoza was indeed a mystic. My words fell short, and I ultimately walked away feeling defeated and deflated. Thank you for this wonderful video! It gave me goose bumps watching it. Bless you all!! And may the legend of the most well liked philosopher live on ad aeternum!!!!

[debbygrupp]

I recommend reading "Perceiving God-The Epistemology of Religious Experience" by William P. Alston.

[MrSkypelessons]

Immensely interesting interpretation of Part 5 of the Ethics. I find your arguments compelling.

[calpearson]

Your synthesis is a divine treasure that has touched my soul. “The symbol is not the thing, the map is not the territory, the word is not that;” so, I m speechless; but lingering with inner radiance of gratitude, love, consciousness, and spirit. ❤

[SeekersofUnity]

And check out our college Justin Sledge @Esoterica's accompanying video: Spinoza - Rationalist Atheist or Mystical Pantheist ? Exploring Spinozism from Toland to Deleuze

[Aaron-bdsj]

Beautifully done. Thanks for the presentation.

[Pretaviana]

Amém 🙏🏼 Thank you for the wonderful content and presentation.

[TheExceptionalState]

This is wonderful stuff. I would like to point that in your discusion of Scientia Intuitiva @18:00, whether it is irrational or arational, there is a lot of overlap with Nicolas of Cusa's concept of Learned Ignorance. In "De Docta Ignorantia" he suggests that the key to experiencing mystic unity with God through intellectual intuition is an awareness that a complete conceptual understanding of God is impossible and can only be acquired in a limited fashion. In other words, the more one learns, the more one realizes the extent of their own ignorance, especially in relation to the divine.
There is another interesting parallel, namely Cusa's use of geometric metaphors to illustrate how God is both knowable yet incomprehensible.
Perhaps a topic for another video?

[justinbirkholz]

I love the Spinoza series but I can't help but get distracted by your lamp lol. It's beautiful. You and Filip are killing me with these amazing lamps in the background. Now I want to go antique shopping.