Ethics
Spinoza argued that God and Nature are the same thing, and that free will is an illusion — ideas so dangerous his own community excommunicated him.
“I have made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn human actions, but to understand them.”
Why It Matters
Spinoza argued that God and Nature are the same thing, and that free will is an illusion — ideas so dangerous his own community excommunicated him. The Ethics built one of the most rigorous philosophical systems ever attempted, using geometric proofs to derive an entire worldview. Einstein, when asked if he believed in God, said he believed in "Spinoza's God."
The 
Take
Personal reviewVery dense and tons of definitions. Wasn’t blown away by any framings or points, but the pantheist ideas are mildly interesting
Notable Quotes
“Men believe themselves free because they are conscious of their actions, and unconscious of the causes whereby those actions are determined.”
“The highest activity a human being can attain is learning for understanding, because to understand is to be free.”