Spinoza: Lire la correspondance

Abstract

In order to measure the specificity of Spinoza's correspondence, one must take into account 17th century rules of letter-writing as well as the idiosyncratic features of Spinoza's writing. Indeed, his letters are always conceived of as replies to somebody else's ; they take up the original letters' plan and questions, and, far from being autonomous pieces, they always refer to Spinoza's philosophical system.