EL HEREJE Y EL CORTESANO

"Una original reinterpretación
de la vida y la obra de Spinoza y Leibniz
dos de los fundadores
del pensamiento filosófico moderno"
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

EL 18 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 1676 Gottfried Wilhelm
Leibniz se presentaba en casa de Baruch de Spinoza, en
La Haya. De su encuentro se derivarían importantes
consecuencias para la historia de la filosofía.

Por aquel entonces, Spinoza tenia motivos suficientes
para tener por su vida: poco antes, uno de sus amigos
habia sido ejecutado, y otro había muerto en la cárcel.

Los esfuerzos para publicar su obra definitiva, la Etica,
habían concluido entre amenazas de interposición de un
proceso criminal. Un teologo se había referido a él co-
mo "el hombre más impío y peligroso del siglo", y un
poderoso obispo lo denunció comno "este hombre loco y
malvado, que merece ser encadenado y azotado".

Leibniz había calificado la obra de Spinoza de "horri-
ble" y "espantosa". "intolerablemente insolente".

A un amigo le confió: "Me parece lamentable que un hombre
evidentemente tan culto haya caído tan bajo".

Y sin embargo, tras un largo viaje, alli estaba el gran
Leibniz, frente a la puerta de la casa de Spinoza, dispuesto
a pasar unas horas, probablemente unos días, de
animada charla con él.

Spinoza y Leibniz, juntos. Los dos filósofos más grandes
del siglo XVII, fundadores ambos del pensamiento
moderno. Podemos imaginarlos: Spinoza sentado, impasible
,profundamente indiferente, tal vez silenciosamente
desdeñoso; Leibniz dando vueltas por la habitación,
tratando de escapar a las ideas radicales de su
anfitrión, intentando demostrarle que existe una voluntad
divina que está detrás de todas las cosas...

Matthew Stewart reminds us every few pages that Spinoza and Leibniz met in Holland during 1676. We are also informed that the world of their meeting was one of turmoil. The Reformation left Europe disenchanted, literally removing the catholic magic out of life and leaving everyone scurrying to a camp or church. Spinoza's ancestors had been expelled from Spain and Leibniz grew up in a Germany blackened by the Thirty Year War. Spinoza lived simply, distrusted the hordes and aimed for a life of the mind. Leibniz was a prodigy who required constant confirmation and affection. He also liked money. Leibniz famously grew up to be a foil for both Newton and Voltaire: the best of all possible worlds and a calculus co-write remain on his CV. Spinoza is regarded as the first modern philosopher, Matthew Stewart quips that such a declaration leaves Leibniz as perhaps the first modern human. Oh well, that ignores L's diplomatic scheme to save Germany. The plan was known as the Egypt Plan, which was to persuade France that instead of conquering a devastated Germany, the French would benefit themselves and Europe by instead invading Egypt in some postscript to the hallowed Annals of Crusades (from Marathon to Fallujah).

So what transpired during this 1676 meeting of the era's brightest minds? We don't know exactly. Leibniz wrote about it often, but continually altered specifics and responses to suit his needs. Spinoza died a short time later. I suppose it doesn't matter. This is a fun book despite the lacunae at its center.
( )

Abandoned. It turns out I am more interested in Spinoza's philosophy--which is discussed superficially--than in endless speculation concerning his single encounter with Leibniz. ( )

A well-told account of the meeting of the two great thinkers. Stewart particularly focuses on how Leibniz's philosophy is best understood in the context of what he was refuting rather than what he wished to assert. An interesting example of how one's philosophical arguments may reveal more about the the philosopher than about the world that they attempt to describe. ( )

Really enjoyed this very smart look at one of the most famous rivalries in philosophy's history --Spinoza vs. Leibniz-- at the dawn of modern thought in the days of the scientific Enlightenment. ( )