Thinking with Spinoza: Politics, Philosophy and Religion

‘Thinking with Spinoza: Politics, Philosophy and Religion

The Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities

Does religious pluralism undermine political co-operation? Does religion differ from superstition? What is the scope of philosophical knowledge? Can it live alongside religious faith? How can states combine pluralism with solidarity?  How deeply does political co-operation depend on imagined narratives? These and other themes of Spinoza’s seminal Theologico-Political Treatise will be discussed.

Speakers:

Etienne Balibar (Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities), Spinoza’s Three Gods and the Modes of Communication
Don Garrett (New York University), Spinoza’s ‘Promising’ Ideas: Contract and Covenant in the Theologico-Political Treatise
Moira Gatens (University of Sydney), Spinoza, Feuerbach and George Eliot
Susan James (Birkbeck College), When does Truth Matter?  The Politics of Spinoza’s Philosophy
Warren Montag (Occidental College), Lucretius Hebraizant:  Spinoza’s reading of Ecclesiastes
Pierre-Francois Moreau (Ecole Normale Supérieure des Lettres et Sciences Humaines, Lyon), From Scripture to Nations. Spinoza’s Theory of History in the Theologico-Political Treatise

Thursday 7th May and Friday 8th May   Room B35  Birkbeck Main Building

Registration essential.        Standard – £45      Birkbeck staff and all Students – £20

Link to the event web page at BIH 

conference lectures politics religionconference lectures politics religion Published: 2.22.09 / 6pm
Tags: conference, lectures, politics, religion