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Benedict de Spinoza Quotes: Sources, Meanings & Themes

Browse quotations by Benedict de Spinoza with named works, context notes, meanings and recurring themes.

About the author

Context for this collection

1632–1677 · Dutch philosopher

Common themes

Freedom of thought, religious liberty, philosophy, scripture, political authority, justice, charity and the limits of coercing belief.

Sources

Works represented in this collection

A Theologico-Political Treatise — Part III1670 · 1 quotation
Recurring themes
Mind 1Deep 1Thinking 1Truth 1Belief 1Freedom 1Justice 1Philosophy 1Thought Provoking 1Tolerance 1
Source identified1
“Faith, therefore, allows the greatest latitude in philosophic speculation, allowing us without blame to think what we like about anything.”
Benedict de Spinoza · A Theologico-Political Treatise — Part III · 1670

Spinoza separates faithful conduct from enforced uniformity of speculation: people can differ widely in philosophical belief while still being judged by whether their teaching leads toward justice and charity rather than hatred.

Source note: A Theologico-Political Treatise, Part III, Chapter XIV, Project Gutenberg #991. The sentence is followed by Spinoza’s distinction between opinions that foster obstinacy, hatred and strife and those that support justice and charity.