The podcast is really helpful. I'm studying Spinoza for a college class. I'm reading the text alongside you. I completely flatlined when I tried to read it on my own. This way, I put the text in perspective with my interpretation and what you're saying. I get a lot of re-assurance knowing I'm on the same page as you. Thanks a lot man!

I’m trying to read “Ethics”, but it’s very challenging for me. I’m reading it in small bites and listening to you after each “mouthful” to make sure I understood it. You are my teacher and there’s no way I could benefit from this work without you. Keep up the great work. I hope you become a professor-you are talented.

In the future, would it be possible for you to cover the following three scholars: Antonio Gramsci--Prison Notebooks (specifically his thoughts on Hegemony) Nicos Poulantzas--His argument that the state is NOT an instrument nor a subject, but it is instead a Social Relation Bob Jessop--Putting the Capitalist State in it's Place (carried further Poulantzas' ideas to develop what is known as the Strategic Relational Approach) Regards,

You asked for feedback, here i am. I listen to your "ramblings" about spinoza like you call them (mostly in podcast form) every time there is new content. I have the Ethics in german lying around here but never came to actually read it. I am fascinated by the idea to view nature as god because it might be a way to "convert" religious people to naturalism that is acctually conclusive. Also i am a former katholic and i guess i am still somewhat intrigued by the idea of "god" as the highest that there is. I would love to have a naturalistic humanistic philosophy without contradictions.

When I saw that you covered Spinoza, I was very excited. Nonetheless I waited patiently until all 5 Episodes were out, so I could listen to it as one contiguous piece

"The poverty of (human) language" compared to the infinity of nature--we clump things together by using the same word for things that are similar, but not the same because we/our language are/is limited, but Nature and it's modes is infinite.

I think Spinoza is right about his notion of "hate" I dont really know how it is used in english but in german the word is "hass" and it is the strongest form of dislike one can express. It is sometimes used colloquially to refer to something that one dislikes strongly but not really hates. If you would ask them if they "really" hate it they would most likely deny it and explain what they exactly dislike and to what degree. On the other hand there are people that do hate or really hate other people. I would call it a form of irrationality because they "just" want their object of hate vanish from existance and are not satisfied until it is (as long as this emotion persists). Now i myselfe have too never felt this way but i have witnessed people that have. I guess that feeling is what drives people like nazis or klan members to really kill other people. Maybe it is a remnant from our tribal days.

I watch them all at one time usually. Absorb more of the material that way

He's explaining the automatic instinctual emotions people experience before tempering those emotions by the use of reason. Or emotions of "passionate" (passive) minds.

Love: something made you feel joy, so when you think of that something that caused that joy, you love that something. You don't just love that something because you are a "nice/good " person.

Self harm is the effect of harm from an original external cause (abuse or trauma).

Thanks!

Cover The Theological Political Treatise. He took superstitious religion apart 400 years ago.

It's not boring.

Week by week. It takes time to get used to Spinoza's philosophy and understand it, but it becomes obvious with going over. You might need more time to explain the emotions, explanations, and examples he gives.