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Benedict de Spinoza, Hebrew forename Baruch, Latin forename Benedictus, Portuguese Bento de Espinosa
(born November 24, 1632, Amsterdam—died February 21, 1677, The Hague), Dutch Jewish philosopher, one of the foremost exponents of 17th-century Rationalism and one of the early and seminal figures of the Enlightenment.
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Baruch Spinoza - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
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(1632-77). When asked about the value of his life’s work, Baruch, or Benedict, Spinoza replied, "I do not presume that I have found the best philosophy, I know that I understand the true philosophy." The Dutch-Jewish philosopher met with tremendous resistance among many groups in his day, but his work provided one of the bases for 17th-century rationalism. He was strongly influenced by Rene Descartes, the founder of rationalism; and late in life he befriended Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, the other great rationalist of the time.
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