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The Collected Works of Spinoza: Complete Digital Edition, combining volumes I and II, provides for the first time in English, a truly satisfactory edition of all of Spinoza’s writings, with accurate and readable translations, based on the best critical editions of the original-language texts, done by a scholar who has published extensively on the philosopher鈥檚 work.

The first volume contains Spinoza鈥檚 single most important work, the Ethics, and four earlier works: the Treatise on the Emendation of the Intellect, the Short Treatise on God, Man, and His Well-Being, Descartes鈥� 鈥淧rinciples of Philosophy,鈥� and Metaphysical Thoughts. Also included are Spinoza鈥檚 letters from the periods when these works were being written.

The centerpiece of the second volume is Spinoza鈥檚 Theological-Political Treatise, a landmark work in the history of biblical scholarship, the first argument for democracy by a major philosopher, and a forceful defense of freedom of thought and expression. This work is accompanied by Spinoza鈥檚 later correspondence, much of which responds to criticism of the Theological-Political Treatise. The volume also includes his last work, the unfinished Political Treatise, which builds on the foundations of the Theological-Political Treatise to offer plans for the organization of nontyrannical monarchies and aristocracies.

The elaborate editorial apparatus鈥攊ncluding prefaces, notes, glossary, and indexes鈥攁ssists the reader in understanding one of the world鈥檚 most fascinating, but also most difficult, philosophers. Of particular interest is the glossary-index, which provides extensive commentary on Spinoza鈥檚 technical vocabulary.

A milestone of scholarship more than forty-five years in the making, The Collected Works of Spinoza is an essential edition for anyone with a serious interest in Spinoza or the history of philosophy.