Spinoza and Spinozism

Among the great thinkers of modern times, only Spinoza (1632-77) created a complete system of philosophy that rivals Plato''s. Few other thinkers have felt so strongly ''the desire to have a unitary view of the world and of man''s place within it'' - a desire that led Spinoza to make crucial contributions to every major philosophical topic: the nature of knowledge and freedom, the existence of God...