Spinoza's Politics; Ethics and Insurrection
What can a 17th century metaphysician tell us about contemporary politics?
Dear all,
It’s great being back in Newcastle upon Tyne where I lived for 15 years until moving to the US last year. We did an in-person event at the Lit and Phil library on Wednesday evening. It was just like old times, with lots of familiar faces and a few drinks in the pub afterwards. That’s all for the in-person events for now, but hopefully there will be more to follow in the not-too-distant future.
Your Sunday Read
“What is Insurrectionist Ethics?”: a conversation with Lee A. McBride III. Following the event that Lee did with Andrea Pitts last year, this conversation gives a clear introduction to the emerging field of insurrectionist ethics. The range of Lee’s philosophical influences is a key theme as he builds his ethical framework around commitments to both ethical naturalism and critical pragmatism, as well as various global traditions including some Abhidharma work in Buddhist philosophy. The conversation ends with a discussion of the kinds of character traits associated with insurrectionist ethics, including the role of anger and the need for oppressed populations to experience, mark, and respond to oppressive situations and conditions with anger. You can read the conversation with Lee here.
Event: Monday at 11am PDT/2pm EDT/7pm UK
“Politics after Spinoza”: What can a 17th century metaphysician tell us about contemporary politics? Quite a lot, according to Spinoza scholars Dan Taylor and Gil Morejon! In conversation with Solange Manche, Dan and Gil will engage with Spinoza’s theories of socially-rooted freedom, as well as his perspectives on collective power, indignation, and democracy. You can expect a detailed exploration of many of Spinoza’s key concepts, leading into a wider discussion on Spinoza’s contributions to contemporary political thought. Full details and registration here.
Event Recordings
If you missed last months’ event on “What is Public Philosophy?” featuring Peter Adamson, Evelyn Brister, and Lucia Ziglioli in conversation with Peter West, you can watch the recording here.
If you missed Monday’s event on “Mexican Philosophy” featuring Carlos Sanchez and Amy Oliver in conversation with Amy Reed-Sandoval, you can watch the recording here.
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Wishing you all a lovely Sunday, wherever you are.
Anthony Morgan
Editor