Baruch de Spinoza and The Ultimate Act of Phronesis Author: Bobana Andjelkovi

Baruch de Spinoza and The Ultimate Act of Phronesis

by Bobana Andjelkovi
t is !ul" #$
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%&'& in Amsterdam( Baruch de Spinoza) the *reat philosopher) author of the +ell kno+n
philosoph" masterpiece The Ethics) !e+ish b" ori*in) is e,communicated from the !e+ish communit"( This +as
supposed to be the +orst punishment for an" member of the !e+ish communit"(
Spinoza is e,communicated because of his +ritin*s on reli*ion( -speciall" because +hat is +ritten in his
Tractacus Politicus and Tractacus Theologico-Politicus( Those t+o essa"s cause h"sterical reactions both of
.alvinist and !e+ish communit"( /o one likes +hat Spinoza sa"s about reli*ion( Both 0ld and /e+ Testimon"
follo+ers have problems +ith his approach to the specific subjects( Althou*h neither theolo*ian nor reli*ious freak)
but philosopher) free thinker) a friend of +isdom) he is deprived from the ri*ht to present a philosophical
standpoint) opinion) attitude) +hatever( t is simple 1 both !e+s and .hristians are offended +ith +hat Spinoza
+rites about 2their3 4od5s6( 7ere is the te,t of the e,communication act 5some sources sa"s it +as ori*inall"
+ritten in Spanish +hile other sa"s it +as in Portu*uese6:
The chiefs of the council make known to you that having long known of evil opinions and acts of Baruch de
Spinoza, they have endeavored by various means and promises to turn him from evil ways !ot being able to find
any remedy, but on the contrary receiving every day more information about the abominable heresies practiced
and taught by him, and about the monstrous acts committed by him, having this from many trustworthy witnesses
who have deposed and borne witness on all this in the presence of said Spinoza, who has been convicted" all this
having been e#amined in the presence of the $abbis, the council decided, with the advice of the $abbi, that the
said Spinoza should be e#communicated and cut off from the !ation of %srael
The !e+ish communit" pa"s *uards in front of the Spinoza8s house until the end of his life) makin* sure
that no one enters in( But an"+a") 9ene :escartes and 4(;( <einbiz visit him secretl" at his monitored and
*uarded home in The 7a*ue 1 it mi*ht be ima*ined and there are some more or less certain data) that someone
from the !e+ish communit" is bribed) so this and some other secret visits are possible( ;ith :escartes) Spinoza
e,chan*ed e,periences on research in optics( ;ith <eibniz he e,chan*ed thou*ht on the +orld and *ods( ;hile
e,communicated) Spinoza becomes a *reat optician) as +ell( 7e develops both methods and practical skills for
lens processin*(
0n the occasion of his o+n e,communication until the end of his life) Spinoza stated: Sub speciae
aeternitatis( 0r) in -n*lish) but not literall" : This is nothing comparing to eternity(
Spinoza8s statement on his o+n e,communication is the ultimate e,ample of the human a*enc" or
ultimate act of Aristotelian concept of Phronesis 5Practical ;isdom6 1 this is ho+ one kno+s ho+ to measure its
o+n acts in life accordin* to one8s inner nature and outer set up in nature and or in the sick societ" like Spinoza
had to live in(
Au*ust) #=%>(