Created page with "{{Infobox Philosopher <!-- Scroll down to edit this page --> <!-- Philosopher Category --> | region = Western Philosophy | era = 17th-century philosophy..."
'''Baruch Spinoza''' ({{lang-he|ברוך שפינוזה}} ''Baruch Shpinoza'', {{lang-pt|Bento de Espinosa}}, {{lang-la|Benedictus de Spinoza}}) and later '''Benedict Spinoza''' (November 24, 1632 – February 21, 1677) was a [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] descendant [[NetherlandThe Netherlands|Dutch]] [[Jewish]] [[philosopher]].<ref name=tws908/> Revealing considerable scientific aptitude, the breadth and importance of Spinoza's work was not fully realized until years after his death. Today, he is considered one of the great [[rationalism|rationalists]]<ref name=tws9909/> of the [[17th-century philosophy]], laying the groundwork for the 18th century [[Age of Enlightenment|Enlightenment]]<ref name=tws9909/> and modern [[biblical criticism]].<ref name=tws9909/> By virtue of his [[masterpiece|magnum opus]], the posthumous ''[[Ethics (book)|Ethics]]'', in which he opposed [[René Descartes|Descartes]]' mind–body dualism, Spinoza is considered to be one of [[Western philosophy|Western philosophy's]] most important philosophers. Philosopher and historian [[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel]] said of all contemporary philosophers, "You are either a Spinozist or not a philosopher at all."<ref name="Hegel's History of Philosophy">[http://books.google.com/books?id=ESNZ3TUdN40C&pg=PA144&lpg=PA144&dq=%22you+are+either+a+spinozist+or+not+a+philosopher+at+all%22&source=bl&ots=XRsqJEbyNT&sig=bCClaJ9V6lL_CJbOR-S3zaGwHqo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result Hegel's History of Philosophy]</ref>
