Description | The Dutch Jewish philosopher Baruch de Spinoza (November 24, 1632 – February 21, 1677) helped lay the foundations for the 18th-century Enlightenment. He made a living as a lens grinder. Today, Spinoza is considered one of the great rationalists of the 17th-century philosophy, laying the groundwork for the 18th century Enlightenment and modern biblical criticism. By virtue of his magnum opus, the posthumous Ethics, in which he opposed Descartes' mind–body dualism, Spinoza is considered to be one of Western philosophy's most important philosophers. |