The Spinoza-Machiavelli Encounter

An exhaustive account of the Spinoza-Machiavelli relationship and its relevance for contemporary philosophy Vittorio Morfino draws out the implications of the dynamic Spinoza-Machiavelli encounter by focusing on the concepts of causality, temporality and politics. This allows him to think through the relationship between ontology and politics, leading to an understanding of history as a complex and plural interweaving of different rhythms. This extraordinary book opens up new avenues for understanding both Machiavelli and Spinoza as well as early modern political philosophy and materialism. Vittorio Morfino is a Senior Researcher in the History of Philosophy at the Università di Milano-Bicocca, Italy. Dave Mesing is a PhD candidate in philosophy at Villanova University.