The Importance of Spinoza for the Modern Philosophy of Science : : Can the revival of Spinoza's naturalism refute cultural relativism? / / Nancy Brenner-Golomb.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter DGBA Backlist Complete English Language 2000-2014 PART1
• VerfasserIn: Brenner-Golomb, Nancy,
• Place / Publishing House: Berlin ;, Boston : : De Gruyter, , [2013]; ©2010
• Year of Publication: 2013
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource

The question raised in this book is why Spinoza's work which comes so close to the modern view of natural science is not prominent in the social sciences. The answer suggested is that this is due to the lingering influence of the Cartesian differentiation between the domain of science, dealing with material bodies in space and time, and the realm of thought to which the mind belongs. Spinoza's rejection of this mind/body dualism was based on his conviction that the human mind was an essential part of the 'forces' which maintain human existence. Since this view fits so well the evolutionary view of life, the book suggests that after Darwin, when this dualism became untenable, it was replaced by a nature versus culture dichotomy. The book examines whether the history of the philosophy of science supports this explanation. The author believes that answering this question is important because of the rising influence of cultural relativism which endangers the very survival of modern science and political stability.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- FOREWORD: -- INTRODUCTION -- Chapter I. Spinoza's Methodological Approach -- Chapter II. The Correspondence between a Comprehensive Structure of Science and a Comprehensive Structure of Nature -- Chapter III. The Necessary Distinction Between Science and a Presupposed View -- Chapter IV. The Structural View -- Chapter V. The Notion of Essence in Modern Science -- Chapter VI. Intuition, Certainty and Innate Ideas -- Chapter VII. Free Will, Choice and the Power of the Mind -- Chapter VIII. The Connection between an Appeal to Reason and Rational Choice -- Chapter IX. Intermezzo: Imagination and Reason. Metaphors and Logical Analysis -- Chapter X. Note on the Timing of the Inversion of the Cartesian View -- Chapter XI. Political Freedom. -- Chapter XII. The Indirect Effect of Reason on Culture -- Chapter XIII. The Assumed Central Role of Language in Science and Moral Philosophy -- Chapter XIV. A modern view in the spirit of Spinoza -- CONCLUDING REMARKS -- BIBLIOGRAPHY -- Index