Spinoza's Philosophy of Ratio
Edited by Beth Lord
From his geometrical method to his theory of mind and body and from his account of the emotions to his doctrine of how to live well, ratio is of prime importance in Spinoza's philosophy.
These essays explore the surprisingly varied dimensions of this unacknowledged keystone of Spinoza’s thought. They take you from Spinoza’s geometrical diagrams to his concepts of mind, body, the emotions, and the cosmos. It shows how Spinoza’s thinking about ratio influences the concept of proportion in Gulliver’s Travels, the differential ontology of Deleuze, egalitarian design for wellbeing, and the notion of an affective architecture.
Key Features- The first major work to explore ratio as a key concept of Spinoza's thought
- Reveals that ratio is a multi-faceted concept that connects geometry, minds, reason, bodies, social relations and the cosmos in Spinoza's philosophy
- Shows how ratio can be used to address enduring questions in Spinoza's thought and take his philosophy in exciting new directions
- Offers new applications of Spinoza's thinking to architecture, design and urban studies
Simon B. Duffy, Yale-NUS College, Singapore.
Hélène Frichot, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden.
Gökhan Kodalak, Cornell University, USA.
Michael LeBuffe, University of Otago, Canada.
Beth Lord, University of Aberdeen, UK.
Heidi M. Ravven, Hamilton College, New York, USA.
Peg Rawes, Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, UK.
Anthony Uhlmann, Western Sydney University, Australia.
Valtteri Viljanen, University of Turku, Finland.
Stefan White, Manchester School of Architecture, UK.
Timothy Yenter, University of Mississippi, USA.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Author biographies
Abbreviations of Spinoza’s works
List of figures
IntroductionBeth Lord
1. Spinoza’s Ontology Geometrically Illustrated: A Reading of Ethics IIP8SValtteri Viljanen
2. Reason and Body in Spinoza’s MetaphysicsMichael LeBuffe
3. Ratio and Activity: Spinoza's Biologizing of the Mind in an Aristotelian KeyHeidi M. Ravven
4. Harmony in Spinoza and His CriticsTimothy Yenter
5. Ratio as the basis of Spinoza’s concept of equalityBeth Lord
6. Proportion as a barometer of the affective life in SpinozaSimon B. Duffy
7. Spinoza, Heterarchical Ontology and Affective ArchitectureGökhan Kodalak
8. Dissimilarity: Spinoza's ethical ratios and housing welfarePeg Rawes
9. The greater part: How intuition forms better worldsStefan White
10. Slownesses and Speeds, Latitudes and Longitudes: In the Vicinity of BeatitudeHélène Frichot
11. The Eyes of the Mind: Proportion in Spinoza, Swift, Ibn TufaylAnthony Uhlmann
Bibliography
Readers will learn from this book that a philosophy of ratio is not to be conflated with a rationalist philosophy. The authors draw on the three senses of ratio – reason, relation and proportion – to explore their interdependence and, crucially, the emergent and constructed conatus towards equality and wellbeing. This valuable book demonstrates that empiricism and rationalism need not be opposed.
This volume represents an important collective re-thinking of Spinoza’s key concept of ratio. Along with new interpretations of his treatment of the relations between reason and emotion, it offers fascinating insights into the relevance of his philosophy for understanding contemporary issues in relation to artistic practice, architecture and the built environment.
