Video: Jonathan Israel on Spinoza as a Revolutionary
Professor Jonathan Israel explores Spinoza's role as a revolutionary thinker and precursor to the modern human rights movement in the 2017 Stroum Lectures in Jewish Studies.
Spinoza, Industrialization, and the Nineteenth-Century Ethos of Repose
Tracie Matysik explains the controversy around Spinoza's unconventional ideas about God and humanity, and why they suggest we should slow down in a fast-paced world.
Should the Ban on Spinoza Be Lifted?
Is heresy still a meaningful concept in American Judaism? Daniel Schwartz argues that the discussions Spinoza inspires are more relevant than ever.
Prophets at War: Hermann Cohen and German Jews in the First World War
During World War I, philosopher Hermann Cohen argued that Jews could be true and full citizens of the new German nation-state. Many of his contemporaries, including other Jews, disagreed. Professor Michael Rosenthal explains.
Jewish-Islamic Connections: Saadia Gaon and the Book of Doctrines
Hamza Zafer examines the intellectual and theological exchanges between Muslim thinkers and Jewish thinkers like Saadia Gaon.
Why Do Hannah Arendt’s Ideas about Evil and the Holocaust Still Matter?
New interview with Michael Rosenthal on the controversial philosopher.
Arendt, Eichmann, and Evil Revisited in New Film
The complex life of the woman behind one of modern philosophy's most infamous phrases.
Why is Circumcision a Human Rights Issue?
An ancient practice is now the focus of intense debates. Prof. Michael Rosenthal explains why he decided to organize a panel discussion.