[marron]

Home run.

Even if in the end we don’t agree with everything Spinoza writes, or even any of it, its fascinating to watch someone try to get his arms around some of the same issues we may be trying to understand ourselves. If in the end I see him heading off in a direction I’m not going, its still gain for me.

As for Einstein, its hard not to love the guy.

Sometimes people make the mistake of trying to understand just so much of someone’s philosophy so as to be able to dismiss it, and him. Rather, it should be approached like a conversation over late night tea. That always seems to be your approach.

Really good job.

[betty boop]

Even if in the end we don’t agree with everything Spinoza writes, or even any of it, its fascinating to watch someone try to get his arms around some of the same issues we may be trying to understand ourselves. If in the end I see him heading off in a direction I’m not going, its still gain for me.... As for Einstein, its hard not to love the guy.

I feel just the same way, marron — on both scores!

I am hardly a huge fan of philosophical "system builders." But it's fascinating to watch them at work.

I hope stuartcr will forgive me for seeming to "label" Spinoza in this last remark. On the other hand, "system building" does seems a useful description of what he's doing in the Ethics.

Or so it seems to me. FWIW

Plus I just love those conversations "over late night tea!"

Thank you so very much for your observations and kind words!

[boatbums]

As for Einstein, its hard not to love the guy.

Yes...and an amazing intellect who, I think, tried to be honest. I had heard, though, that he couldn't tie his own shoes and that he didn't speak until he was 4 years old.