Ebook: Spinoza and Relational Autonomy: Being With Others

Integrates Spinoza’s thought into the contemporary debate on interpersonal relationships and individual autonomy

• 13 new essays explore Spinoza’s relational account of autonomy and individuality
• Integrates different philosophical approaches and styles, both from analytic and continental traditions
• Bridges the gap between history of philosophy and contemporary debates
• Contributes to debates across a number of fields, including Spinoza studies, contemporary political philosophy and ethics, feminist philosophy, and the philosophy of action

The question of how to understand autonomy has emerged as a critical issue in contemporary political philosophy. Feminists and others argue that autonomy cannot be adequately conceived without taking into consideration the ways in which it is shaped by our relationships with others. This collection of 13 new essays shows what Baruch Spinoza can add to our understanding of the relational nature of autonomy. By offering a relational understanding of the nature of individuals centred on the role played by emotions, Spinoza offers not only historical roots for contemporary debates but also broadens the current discussion.

At the same time, reading Spinoza as a theorist of relational autonomy underscores the consistency of his overall metaphysical, ethical and political project, which has been clouded by the standard rationalist interpretation of his works.

Contributors

Aurelia Armstrong, University of Queensland

Keith Green, East Tennessee State University

Matthew Kisner, University of South Carolina

Martin Lenz, University of Groningen

Catriona Mackenzie, Macquarie University

Heidi M. Ravven, Hamilton College

Ursula Renz, Alpen-Adria-University-Klagenfurt

Andrea Sangiacomo, University of Groningen

Justin Steinberg, CUNY

Ericka Tucker, Marquette University

Caroline Williams, Queen Mary University of London