Spinoza in 90 Minutes by Paul Strathern

Spinoza's brilliant metaphysical system was derived neither from reality nor experience.
Starting from basic assumptions, with a series of geometric proofs he built a universe which
was also God, one and the same thing, the classic example of pantheism. Although his
system seems an oddity today, Spinoza's conclusions are deeply in accord with modern
thought, from science (the holistic ethics of today's ecologists) to politics (the idea that the
state exists to protect the individual). Both Spinoza's system and conclusions have compelling
beauty unequaled in the history of philosophy.

In Spinoza in 90 Minutes, Paul Strathern offers a concise, expert account of Spinoza's life
and ideas, and explains their influence on man's struggle to understand his existence in the

world.
The book also includes selections from Spinoza's work, a brief list of suggested readings for

those
who wish to delve deeper, and chronologies that place Spinoza within his own age and in the

broader
scheme of philosophy.