Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Spinout'

The context for this research is the influence of commercialisation in UK higher education. The study presents an ethnographic account and analysis of the experiences of a group of individuals involved with a recently formed university spinout company in the UK. The research was conducted over a two year period and data were collected from a range of sources including participant-observation, semi-structured interviews and written material. Conceptual constructs emerged from both inductive and deductive processes: data were examined as they surfaced and themes drawn out; these themes were then explored further in the field. Firstly, the account combines ethnographic and auto-ethnographic approaches in describing the significance of the commercialisation project to the individual employee. Participants' experiences of the spinout company are categorised into four areas of significance: Change, Challenge, Culture and Confusion (The Four Cs'). A typology is developed which illustrates the spread of the data in relation to the degree of distance between the actor and the event. Secondly, the thesis considers environmental factors influencing the individual experience. The spinout company project is contextualised in a multi-faceted 'web of influence' combining three distinct lenses through which the case may be viewed: the macro-, meso- and micro-levels. This tiered approach to the analysis considers the influences of broader social and economic developments on individual sense-making. The study critiques some key assumptions about commercialisation which are prevalent in the higher education sector and demonstrates ways in which changing organisational directions affect individual lives. It problematises this impact in terms of personal and professional dilemmas and proposes a renegotiation of professional and academic identities as role boundaries converge. It concludes with consideration of implications for current management practice in universities and suggestions for further research.

UK universities attract increasing attention from policy-makers searching for regional solutions to economic development challenges. Consequently, university spinout companies have featured prominently in UK policy-making, as they embody a transfer of knowledge of the most complex and comprehensive character. However, whilst the positive contribution of spinout companies to regional economies is widely accepted, little is known of how to ensure high quality outcomes from such knowledge commercialisation activities. This thesis aims to improve the understanding of this problem by examining the elements that contribute to the success of academic spinouts in the UK context. It investigates dual meaning of success: spinout formation and survival, conceptualised here as embedded in university networks composed of multiple actors. It is set within a post-positivistic paradigm and employs an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design. The quantitative part identifies the elements contributing to the success of spinout companies using data on 870 spinout companies extracted from university websites and supplemented with financial, economic and educational databases; and leads to the qualitative part, explaining differential performance of spinout companies across UK regions with data collected through semi-structured interviews conducted at four illustrative university networks. It is found that the success of spinout companies depends on networks, investment, and management teams. However, the formation and survival of spinout companies differs across a number of elements: technology transfer offices, business incubators, other actors, and geography; suggesting bi-dimensional complexity across space and success measures. The variable spatial performance of university networks determining spinout company outcomes is explained by connectedness, filtration and time: successful spinout companies originate from university networks that have capability to build and exploit network capital. It is suggested that regional innovation systems require designs oriented towards these diverse spinout success outcomes, formation and survival-based, with strong local adaptations.

The purpose of this Master's Thesis is to investigate the outlooks for a seed stage venture capital fund investing in biotechnology-related spinouts from public research to be established in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. Recommendations on how to improve any discovered deficits of the fund's prerequisites are also to be presented.

Analyses showed that the spinout potential of the research in the region is weak. The entrepreneurial prerequisites of the researchers, in terms of previous experience, business knowledge and a track record that would vouch for them being suitable entrepreneurs, are generally poor. Nor is there sufficient industry in the region to facilitate the establishment of and subsequent businesses for the spinouts. The seed fund must therefore provide any future portfolio ventures with a substantial amount of Hands-on Management.

To improve the prerequisites for the seed fund, PVA-MV must influence the researchers'attitude towards spinouts and make the monetary gains more visible. The researchers must be imbued with a business approach in their research and PVA-MV must market its services as being the intermediary of government, universities and industry and as being able to create opportunities for researchers as well as for industry. PVA-MV should also focus on the few institutes and individual researchers that do have some favourable entrepreneurial characteristics, in order to evoke professional entrepreneurs with a forming track record. To cope with the deficient prerequisites of the fund, PVA-MV must expand the competence of its own work force and focus on the rate of return rather than on building regional infrastructure pro bono as a governmental agency.

This thesis reviews the method of Mafra, Schlotterer, and Stieberger (2011) for computing the full colour ordered N-point open superstring amplitude using the Pure Spinor formalism. We introduce relevant elements of super Yang-Mills theory and examine the basics of the Pure Spinor formalism, with a focus on tools for amplitude computation. We then define a series of objects with increasingly useful BRST transformation properties, which greatly simplify the calculations, and show how these properties can be determined using a diagrammatic method. Finally, we use the explicit four- and five-point amplitude computations as stepping stones to compute the general N-point amplitude, which factors into a set of kinematic integrals multiplying SYM subamplitudes.

Orientador: Julio Marny Hoff da Silva
Resumo: Espinores exóticos surgem quando a topologia da variedade $M$ tomada como sendo o espaço-tempo é suposta ser não-trivial, no sentindo que seu grupo fundamental é não-trivial: $\pi_1(M) \neq 0$. Assim, um novo termo exótico $\partial_\mu \theta$ surge na equação dinâmica destes espinores, e novas propriedades se apresentam. A não-trivialidade de $\pi_1(M)$ pode ser diretamente ligada a própria existência de buracos negros. Assim, estudamos, nesta tese, relações entre estruturas espinoriais exóticas e a taxa de emissão de radiação Hawking por buracos negros assintoticamente \textit{flat} em Relatividade Geral, encontrando equações diferenciais para o termo exótico, o que dá a possibilidade de inferir uma forma explícita para $\theta$. Também, tratamos aqui dos chamados espinores RIM, que são espinores que respeitam uma equação dinâmica não-linear chamada de equação não-linear de Heisenberg. Apresentamos dois lemas relativos a estes espinores: um deles encontrando restrições para ocorrer a decomposição de espinores de Dirac em termos de espinores RIM, e outro que nega a existência de espinores RIM exóticos, ou seja, relaciona a existência de espinores RIM a própria estrutura topológica do espaço-tempo. Ainda, encontramos um método de classificarmos os espinores RIM nas classes de Lounesto. Por fim, apresentamos, na forma de dois teoremas, maneiras de deformar homotopicamente tais espinores no que chamamos de \textit{spinor-plane}.
Abstract: Exotic spinors emerge when the topology associatd to the manifold $M$, which is token as being the spacetime, is suppose to be non-trivial, in the sense that its fundamental group is non-trivial: $\pi_1(M) \neq 0$. Thus, a new exotic term $\partial_\mu \theta$ rises from the dynamical equation related to these spinors, and new properties are in order. The non-triviality of $\pi_1(M)$ may be directly linked to the very existence of black holes. In this vein, we study some relations between exotic spinorial structures and the Hawking radiation emission rate by asymptotically flat black holes solutions of General Relativity, finding an equation from which an explicity form for the exotic term could be inferred. Moreover, we work on the so-called RIM spinors, which are spinor fields satisfying a non-linear dynamical equation known as Heiseing non-linear equation. We present two \textit{lemmata} related to these spinors: one of them gives us restrictions for the decompostion of Dirac fields in terms of RIM spinors to occur, while the other deny the existence of exotic RIM spinors, i.e., it relates the very existence of RIM spinors to the spacetime topological structure. Besides, we develop a classifying method for RIM spinors into the Lounesto classes. Finally, we present, in the form of two theorems, ways to homotopically deform such spinors in what we call the spinor-plane.
Doutor

This thesis is based on five articles, four of which have been published in the Journal of Mathematical Physics, Physical Review D, Modern Physics Letters A and Journal of High Energy Physics. The fifth has been submitted to Mathematika. In these works we study several distinct problems within the broad subject area of Mathematical Physics. The common feature is that all these works deal with rotations of one form or another. In particular, we show an equivalence between the massless and massive Dirac equations and models based on the concept of rotating material points. We also solve an open problem in Einstein-Cartan theory, namely, we find a natural matter source for a non-trivial spin angular momentum tensor. Finally, we construct a complete class of non-standard (non-local) spinor field theories and examine their possible applications in Cosmology.

Qu’est-ce que la liberté chez Spinoza ? Comment la démontre-t-il dans l’Ethique ? Le point de départ de la réflexion est d’examiner le rapport entre l’esprit et le corps chez Spinoza et de démontrer comment cette forme de relation rend possible le projet de libération de l’homme établi par Spinoza dans l’Ethique. Or, le projet de libération de l’homme chez Spinoza commence par une libération de l’homme de sa vie affective. Ainsi, il faut examiner le fondement ontologique des affects pour les expliquer dans le même ordre causal qui détermine le corps et l’esprit. Mais, Spinoza n’envisage pas seulement de répondre à la question du mystère existentiel qui concerne la réalisation de notre liberté dans l’existence, mais aussi de fonder une liberté d’ordre métaphysique, pour établir son fondement ontologique de la vie affective humaine. L’analyse consistera à démontrer que la conception du conatus est essentielle pour la conception nouvelle de la liberté que propose Spinoza. Car, le conatus est la manifestation dans l’existence de la détermination de chaque être de la nature par une cause nécessaire et immanente qui est Dieu. C’est donc à titre d’hypothèse qu’est travaillé le lien entre la conception spinoziste de la liberté et la réalisation de notre conatus dans l’existence
What is liberation according to Spinoza? How does he demonstrate it in his work Ethics? A jumping off point for answering that question is to examine the relationship between mind and body in Spinoza, and demonstrate how the nature of that relationship makes the liberation of man possible as established by Spinoza in Ethics. Incidentally, the project of a man's liberation in Spinoza begins with the liberation of man from his affective life. Thus, we must examine the ontological basis of man's emotions in order to explain them in the same causal order that determines body and mind. But Spinoza does not only seek to answer the question of the existential mystery behind the realisation of our existential liberation, he also seeks to pave the way towards a metaphysical liberation, to lay the ontological foundation for the emotional life of man. This analysis will consist of demonstrating that the concept of conatus is essential to the new concept of liberation as espoused by Spinoza. Here, conatus is the manifestation of a necessary and immanent cause, which is God, in the existence of the determination of every being in nature. Thus, the hypothesis at work here is the link between Spinoza's concept of liberation and the realisation of our existential conatus

This thesis is concerned with the theory of spinors, embeddings and everywhere invariance with applications to general relativity. The approach is entirely geometric with particular emphasis on the use of natural structures. A clear indication of the interaction between the above topics is given; this Interaction then sheds light on various aspects of general relativity theory. The main ideas discussed are:- (i) Spinors, conformal structure and the spacetime projective null bundle framework. (ii) Spaces of embeddings. (ill) Embeddings and spin structure. (iv) Null embeddings and the null limit (a technique for obtaining differential equations on null hypersurfaces). (v) Quasi-local momentum. (vi) The space of metrics, natural group actions and generalized conformal structure. (vii) Everywhere invariance and the invariance equation as a method for obtaining spacetime symmetries. Three appendices are also provided:- These give comprehensive summaries of the theories of principal bundles, conformal structure and asymptotic simplicity.

S'interroger sur le rapport du rationnel a la pensee chez spinoza, c'est d'abord questionner la formalisation mathematique qui caracterise sa pensee philosophique. Nous voulons montrer qu'une telle formalisation n'exclut aucunement l'univers tel que nous le percevons puisqu'au contraire, elle permet d'elaborer des modeles geometriques pour eclairer des points essentiels, tels dieu, les attributs et les modes. Mais surtout, si elle se trouve placee au cur de la reflexion spinoziste, c'est qu'elle n'est rien d'autre que la pensee meme, qui doit, pour etre pensee, suivre les criteres rigoureux de la formalisation mathematique. Il est des lors possible de suivre le double chemin de la genese de la pensee et de ce qui est pense. Pour fonder son ontologie, spinoza reprend les bases de la physique de descartes, ce qui de prime abord apparait paradoxal, en raison de leurs positions philosophiques conflictuelles. Toutefois, une analyse plus precise permet d'etablir que le rapport a descartes est le meme en physique et en philosophie. La reprise des lois cartesiennes n'est aucunement pure passivite, elle implique au contraire une profonde transformation de celles-ci, l'objet fondamental etant non plus la chose en tant que telle, mais ses relations aux autres. Il en resulte une physique de la dynamique et non de la statique, d'un monde qui, comme celui de la pensee, est homogene, symetrique, infini. Cependant, l'unite entre la pensee rationnelle et la pensee mathematique pose a toutes deux des difficultes redoutables. C'est pourtant au travers de cette tension meme, qu'est mise en lumiere l'absolue unite de la pensee spinoziste.

On doit nécessairement aborder le problème des rapports entre les sciences de la nature et la philosophie quand il s'agit d'étudier la manière dont la pensée philosophique du dix-septième siècle a conçu le monde matériel. Plusieurs philosophes-savants ont essayé de fonder la nouvelle physique de ce siècle sur des raisons métaphysiques et d'élaborer une physique cohérente en ayant recours seulement à la disposition, la configuration et le mouvement des parties de la matière. Une analyse des textes de Spinoza qui portent sur la philosophie naturelle permet d'inscrire sa physique dans le registre de cette physique déterministe et mécaniste ; cette étude systématique de la manière dont ce philosophe rend raison de la nature de la matière et de ses changements doit suivre de près le développement de sa pensée afin de mieux dégager le lien entre les thèses proprement philosophiques de Spinoza et sa conception de la nature. En commençant par un commentaire détaillé de la seconde partie des principes de la philosophie de Descartes, ce travail se propose de situer la pensée spinoziste par rapport aux thèses essentielles de la physique cartésienne, et de montrer que le déterminisme qui caractérise cette physique est associé, aux yeux de Spinoza, à une philosophie de l'immanence. Une étude de l'échange épistolaire entre Spinoza et Boyle (par l'intermédiaire d’Oldenburg) qui traite des questions physiques, aussi bien qu'une analyse des axiomes, des définitions et des lemmes qui constituent l'abrégé de physique de la seconde partie de l'éthique, permettent de préciser le caractère de la physique de Spinoza, aussi bien que les fondements ontologiques que son système fournit au mécanisme. On peut ainsi montrer que Spinoza élabore une conception originale de la nature, tout en fondant la rationalité de sa physique sur des concepts intelligibles qu'elle partage en commun avec la science de son temps, dont elle exploite les acquis.

Les conditions pour atteindre la liberté et la béatitude restent ancrées, d’après Spinoza, dans la durée, c'est-à-dire pendant que l'union de l'esprit et le corps dure, étant donné qu'il n'y a pas un au-delà de la mort. Tout effort pour connaître à partir de la raison et de l'intuition doit s'inscrire dans le régime de l'affectivité, ce qui implique étudier le régime par rapport à les « coordonnées temporelles de constitution de l'affectivité » : (1) le fait que le mode doive arriver à l'adéquation pour résoudre la différence entre le nombre infini d'idées et sa capacité limitée pour les former claire et distinctement de façon simultanée (simultanéité et différence attributives) ; (2) le corps est constitué dans un conflit entre l'activité et la passivité, il est un « mixte » puisqu'il est affectant tant qu'affecté (simultanéité modale) (3) cette constitution fait de l'individu un individu désirant et « sujet » aux passions, quand sa puissance diminue
According to Spinoza, conditions to attain freedom and happiness depend on duration; in other words, since there is nothing beyond death, they are attainable while the unity of body and mind endures. Any effort to acquire knowledge through reason and intuition must be effected within the system of affects. This entails studying said system in connection with the three temporal coordinates constituting affectivity: 1. The fact that mode (the individual) must achieve adequacy to solve the difference between the infinite number of ideas and his or her limited capacity to simultaneously form ideas clearly and distinctly (attributive simultaneity and difference); 2. The conflict itself between activity and passivity constitutes the body; and, 3. This constitution turns the individual into a desiring individual (one who desires), “subject” to passions when his or her power diminishes

La rencontre Spinoza-Machiavel est analysée à trois niveaux différents après avoir reconstruit le status quaestionis au XXe siècle dans le premier chapitre. Dans le deuxième chapitre, on analyse la présence des textes et de l'image de Machiavel dans la bibliothèque de Spinoza ainsi que la présence et la fonction stratégique du nom de Machiavel dans le TP. Dans le troisième chapitre on analyse la présence des argumentations de Machiavel dans les deux grandes oeuvres politiques de Spinoza, (TTP et TP), ainsi que la continuité et la discontinuité de l'usage de ces argumentations à l'intérieur des deux oeuvres. Dans le quatrième chapitre on analyse la modification des structures métaphysiques profondes du TdIE à l'Ethica produit par la rencontre avec Machiavel et la problématique historico-politique dont il est porteur : cette modification conduit Spinoza à articuler le temps et l'eternité d'une façon tout-à-fait nouvelle et non pas réductible aux deux grandes lignes du spinozisme qui traversent la modernité : la philosophie de l'histoire et le nihilisme.

Spinoza distingue les concepts de durée, d'éternité et de temps à travers toute son œuvre. Il part du principe que toute essence (ce qui est intelligible) est une vérité éternelle, c'est-à-dire nécessairement vraie, indépendamment de toute relation au temps. L'éternité, qui n'est pas une durée infinie, est définie par l'existence qui suit nécessairement d'une essence, et la durée par l'existence qui ne remplit pas cette condition. Or, selon son étude sur Descartes et la lettre 12, seul l'être unique absolument infini est éternel, l'existence d'aucun de ses effets n'étant nécessairement liée à une essence. En revanche, dans l'éthique, en dehors de dieu, l'éternité est attribuée à tous les modes infinis, mais aussi à des modes finis, tels que les âmes de toutes les choses singulières, dans la mesure où leur existence est conçue comme une conséquence nécessaire de la seule définition d'une chose éternelle. La distinction entre la durée et le temps est, pour l'essentiel, conçue toujours de la même façon. Si la durée est quelque chose de réel et de positif, en dehors de la pensée, le temps présuppose les êtres pensants. Il n'est qu'un auxiliaire de l'imagination, qui nous sert a délimiter la durée
Spinoza makes a distinction between the concepts of duration, eternity and time throughout his entire work. He starts off by assuming that any essence (that is the intelligible) is an eternal truth, necessarily true, which bears no relation to time. Eternity, which is not infinite, is defined by the existence that necessarily follows from an essence and duration by the existence that does not meet this condition. Now, according to his study on Descartes and to letter 12, only the unique absolutely infinite being is eternal, the existence of none of his effects being necessarily connected to an essence. On the other hand, in the ethics, apart from god, eternity is attributed to all infinite modes but also to finite modes such as the souls of all singular things insofar as their existence is conceived to follow solely from the definition of an eternal thing. Most importantly, the distinction between duration and time is always conceived in the same manner. If duration is something real and positive, outside of thought, time presupposes thinking beings. It is a mere appendage to imagination which helps us determine duration

Was im späten 18. Jahrhundert mit der Spinoza-Begeisterung von Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Johann Gottfried Herder und Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi begann, setzt sich im 19. Jahrhundert fort: Es ist das Jahrhundert einer intensiven Beschäftigung mit Spinoza und seiner Philosophie. Die spezifische Intensität dieser Beschäftigung wirkt bis heute nach, wie im folgenden gezeigt werden soll. Was im 19. Jahrhundert stattfindet, ist keine Spinoza-Rezeption, keine bloße Interpretation von Leben und Werk, sondern der Anfang eines historischen Begreifens, das Rezeption wie Interpretation bis heute bestimmt. In der Beschäftigung mjt Spinoza hat das 19. Jahrhundert Formen des philosophiehistorischen Denkens ausgebildet, die immer noch prägend sind.

Cette thèse porte sur l’unité du concept de liberté chez Spinoza. Aussi passe-t-elle par les trois objets privilégiés du philosophe, Dieu, l’homme et la multitude. A ces trois objets correspond une certaine forme de la liberté : liberté métaphysique, liberté éthique et liberté politique. Etant données, d’une part la définition de la liberté (en EID7), d’autre part l’affirmation faite par Spinoza selon laquelle seul Dieu est cause libre, le problème se pose en effet de savoir dans quel sens ou dans quelle mesure l’homme peut, du point de vue éthique et du point de vue politique, être dit libre. Nous avons tenté de résoudre le problème par l’étude d’un aspect peu ou pas étudié de la théorie spinoziste des affects, la notion de jouissance. Nous avons commencé par une étude du champ lexical motivé par l’absence de définition du terme fruitio, pour s’étendre ensuite vers d’autres termes proches, tels le gaudium (qui a deux sens différents chez Spinoza) et la delectatio. Ensuite, nous avons situé ces termes du point de vue de l’histoire de la philosophie au sein du débat auquel ils appartenaient : la question de la jouissance dans la philosophie médiévale chrétienne. Ainsi nous avons été amenés à nous interroger sur le concept central d’Amor intellectualis Dei, qui est ce en quoi consiste la liberté, à partir de l’idée de jouissance, et ce dans les deux domaines de Dieu et de l’homme. Enfin, nous avons montré qu’en politique l’unité du concept de liberté était maintenue aussi grâce à l’idée de jouissance (obtinentia). Bref, c’est toujours l’être qui jouit de sa puissance constitutive en tant que telle, parce qu’il existe et qu’il agit nécessairement, qui est dit libre
This thesis refers to the unity of the concept of freedom in Spinoza, focusing in the three privileged objects of the philosopher: God, man and multitude. To each one belongs a certain form of freedom: metaphysical, ethical and political. Given that, in one hand, the definition of freedom (E1D7) and in the other hand the affirmation made by Spinoza, that God is the only free cause, the problem is indeed, knowing in which sense or measure man can, from the ethical and political point of view, called free. We have tried to solve the problem studying a barely or not studied at all issue of Spinoza’s theory of the affectus: the notion of fruitio (enjoyment). We started by studying the lexical field motivated by the absence of definition of the term fruitio, in order to go further with nearby terms, such as gaudium (which has two different senses in Spinoza) and the delectatio. Furthermore, we have placed these points of view of the history of philosophy in the core of the discussion where they belong: the question of fruitio in Christian medieval philosophy. Thus, we question ourselves about the main concept of Amor intellectualis Dei, which is freedom itself, starting from the idea of fruitio, and the same in both God’s and man’s domains. Finally, we showed that in politics, the unity of the concept of freedom was sustained also due to the idea of obtinentia (enjoyment). In brief, we call free the being that enjoys its constitutive power as such, because it exists and acts out of necessity

Les avancées de la biologie contemporaine, posent de façon nouvelle des problèmes philosophiques anciens. Ceux des rapports entre le vivant et l'inanimé, entre le corps et l'esprit, l'erreur et la vérité, sont les plus évidents. La philosophie de Spinoza, bien que datant du 17e siècle, apporte à ces problèmes des solutions plus pertinentes que la plupart des philosophies plus récentes, développées dans les siècles qui l'ont suivie. En retour, les acquis actuels des sciences physiques et biologiques, notamment des neurosciences cognitives, permettent de porter un nouveau regard sur certaines notions propres à la philosophie de Spinoza, telles que sa «petite physique», la nature cause de soi, la notion de matière, l'essence des choses, les genres de connaissance, qui acquièrent de ce fait un surcroît d'actualité
Old philosophical problems are raised in renewed ways by advances in biology of today. Most obvious are the problems of relationship between living and non-living, mind and body, error en truth. Spinoza's philosophy, although from 17th century, offers solutions to these problems more relevant than most more recent philosophies. In return, present knowledge from physical and biological sciences, especially cognitive neurosciences, can provide a new look at some specifically Spinozist notions such as his "little physics", Nature as cause of itself, the notion of matter, the essence of a thing, kinds of knowledge, which gain all the more interest from a present day point of view

To think a Deleuzian politics requires to understand the philosophical markleft in his work by Spinoza. Both philosophers’ paths crisscross in their problems, questions and consequences. In this paper three concepts will be put in relation: critique, right and crowd. The aim is to elucidate how man can open new ways of political experience from the conjunction of two philosophies articulated upon a common ground: immanence and life.
Pensar una política en Gilles Deleuze exige comprender la huella filosófica que ha dejado en su obra Baruch Spinoza. Las sendas de ambos filósofos se entrecruzan en problemas, preguntas y consecuencias. Hay tres conceptos que serán puestos en relación en el presente trabajo: crítica, derecho  y  multitud.  El  objetivo  es elucidar cómo se pueden abrir nuevos modos de experiencia política a partir de la conjunción de dos filosofías articuladas por un suelo común: la inmanencia y la vida.

Il s'agit d'identifier le complexe des forces que produit la rencontre de l'imagination et de la religion, et de qualifier ainsi la puissance socio-historique de l'imagination. L'analyse de la prophetie, puis celle du miracle, montrent dans la revelation une ethique de l'integration sociale et dans le miracle l'essence theoricopratique du religieux en sa plus grande exteriorite. A ce point, ou les effets de desintegration apparaisent constitutifs de la religion, intervient dans sa logique le chapitre 7 du ttp : celui-ci ne constitue pas un traite autonome de technique exegetique, il enonce les regles qui rendent possible le passage de la religion d'exteriorite a la religion non encore philosophique mais liberee de ses pratiques d'asservissement ; il ecrit ainsi la methodologie d'une refondation de l'interindividualite. Apres avoir reconstruit le systeme ethique de l'imaginaire religieux a partir d'une selection d'affects, on montre donc comment grace au nouveau mode de lecture des ecritures, l'affranchissement de la servitude se realise de l'interieur meme de la religion, dans le rapport de l'individu au texte fondateur de ses croyances. Il en resulte une integration sociale reelle, ou differenciee. A la constitution de cette puissance les religions revelees participent tres diversement, le christ etant ici le modele le plus utile a l'affirmation ethique de l'individu. En conclusion : pour avoir montre les modalites de la lisibilite de la realite, spinoza est philosophe de l'historicite
It is a matter of identifying the complex of forces produced by the encounter between the imagination and religion, and thereby to characterize the socio-historical power of the imagination. The analysis of prophecy, and that of the mircale, manifest in revelation an ethic of social integration, and in the miracle the theorical-pratical essence of the religious in its greatest exteriority. At this point, when the effects of desintegration appear constitutive of religion, the logic of the chapter 7 of the itp intervenes : this chapter does not constitute an autonomous treaty of exegetical technique, it elaborates the rules which make possible the transition from an externalized religion to a religion not yet philosophical but freed from its enslaving practices ; thus it provides the methodology of a refoundation of interindividuality. After having reconstructed the ethical system of religion starting from a selection of affects, one demonstrates thus how, thanks to this new way of reading scripture, the delivrance from servitude is accomplished from within religion, in the relationship of the individual to the foundational text of his beliefs. The result is an actual, or differential, social integration. Revealed religions participate very diversely in the constitution of this power, christ being the most useful model for the ethical affirmation of the individual. In conclusion : for having shown the modalities of the readibility of reality, spinoza is a philosopher of historicity

Le but de cette thèse est d'étudier la question des rapports entre la théorie de l'histoire et la théorie politique dans le système philosophique de Spinoza. La première partie expose certains éléments constitutifs de la théorie spinozienne de l'histoire, en examinant successivement l'histoire universelle, l'histoire sacrée et l'histoire politique. Ensuite, la deuxième partie s'intéresse à l'usage politique que Spinoza fait ce l'histoire, en analysant successivement l'histoire des peuples et des états, les exemples historiques et les conséquences politiques de la lecture des historiens. Enfin, la troisième partie procède à une analyse des rapports que la philosophie politique de Spinoza entretient avec sa théorie de l'histoire. Les conclusions de cette étude sont les suivantes : tout d'abord, Spinoza s'est occupé sérieusement des questions historiques concrètes, en élaborant une théorie de l'histoire, et précisément dans une époque qui ne s'intéressait que très marginalement à l'histoire. De même, sa réflexion tout à fait moderne sur la question du progrès historique, ainsi que sa conception politique nouvelle et originale, rendent manifeste l'actualité de la pensée politique de Spinoza et, en même temps, le caractère pratique de sa philosophie
The aim of this thesis is the study of the relation between the theory f history and the political theory in Spinoza's philosophical system. The first part is considers some constituent elements of Spinoza's theory of history : the universal history, the sacred history and the political history. The second part deals with the way Spinoza uses history for political purposes by analysing the history of nations and states, historical examples and the political consequences of his readings of historians. The last part proceeds with the study of the relationship between Spinoza's political philosophy and his theory of history. The conclusion of the thesis is that Spinoza was very interested in historical problems when he elaborated his theory on history, precisely at a time when the focus was not on historical questions. Moreover, his modern concept of historical progress and his original political views are the evidence of the topicality of Spinoza's political thought and the practical character of his philosophy

Le naturalisme rationaliste de spinoza fonde ontologiquement la violence et la relativise anthropologiquement. Ce paradoxe apparent se joue en marge de toute articulation au nominalisme de la transcendance imaginaire, de la singularisation superstitieuse, elitiste et isolante, et de l'individualisation du droit. Lorsqu'elle est exploitee dans une perspective theologico-politique, la violence pousse la reciprocite affective passive jusqu'au delire, au sein meme de la positivite absolue de la substance. L'originalite et l'actualite de spinoza se mesurent a la rigueur de son combat contre le formalisme deductif des differentes expressions de la violence en tant que "sottise" politique. Cette inertie politique est de nature diverse : l'inegalite sociale generale, la regulation dogmatique de la pensee et de l'expression par l'etat, la pratique du secret pour raison d'etat, la capitalisation sans effort par la corruption, l'immobilisme des pouvoirs collectifs. Quant a la critique implicite ce la dette entre les etats, elle ne semble pas sans lien avec le constat de l'arnarche internationale. Outre l'action proprement politique, le depassement de la violence s'opere selon deux systemes de liberation : la democratisation progressive par l'education et la promotion, certes rare, de la communaute rationnelle des hommes libres, justice vraie ou vie philosophique veritable. Toutefois, pour le bonheur du plus grand nombre de citoyens possible, la strategie de la gestion des affects tristes ne saurait ne pas integrer la violence a la rationalite politique
In spinoza, rationalist naturalism gives violence an ontological foundation and makes it relative on the anthropological plane. This apparent paradox appears with no connection to the nominalism of imaginary transcendency, to the elitist isolating process of superstitious singularity and to the individualization of the law. When violence is exploited in the theologico-political perspective, it carries passive and affective reciprocity to the point of delirium, within the absolute productivity of substance. What is original and topical in spinoza is his hard fight against deductive formalism of the various expressions of violence as political "foolishness". This political inertia is of a varied nature : general social inequality, the dogmatic control of thinking and speech by the state, the use of secrecy for the reason of state, the effortless capitalization by corruption, monopolization of collective powers by a tiny group. The implicit critic of the debt between the states is not without a connection to the acknowlegment of international anarchy. Besides political action proper, the solution to violence lies in two systems of liberation : progressive democratization by educating and promoting - however a rare case- the rational community of free men; which is genuine justice of true philosophical life. Nonetheless, for the greatest possible number of citizens, the strategy of the management of sad affects would not fail to integrate violence in political rationality

<< tout ce qui est contraire a la nature est contraire a la raison >> (t. T. P, ch 6) telle est l'idee directrice du spinozisme. Le systeme propose en ouverture, le principe de causa sui, forme radicale du principe de raison {causa sive ratio} et en theme principal, l'identite de dieu et de la nature (deus sive natura, eiv, preface); les deux expressions les plus contestees et les plus commentees du spinozisme sont les deux faces d'un principe unique sur lesquelles il faut faire le point. Omnipresent chez spinoza, le binome nature et raison n'est pas codifie alors meme que ce noeud semantique signale les moments strategiques du systeme. L'hypothese est d'accorder une fonction essentielle a ces notions fluides et variables qui forment la << carte d'identite >> du systeme. Deformables dans les limites de l'uni vocite, elles permettent au spinozisme de s'adapter a une infinite d'autres pensees sans qu'il perde jamais son identite. L'etude transversale proposee saisit ce qui donne vie et mouvement au systeme plutot que son architecture solide et fixe. Le systeme cesse alors d'etre apprehende comme une pensee forclose. La naturalisation de la raison justifie l'unicite et l'universalite de lacausalite naturelle: toutes choses se concoivent comme des figures geometriques. La pointe aceree de la reforme conceptuelle spinoziste est donc bien une theorie de la causalite d'une audace inouie. Dieu comprend en lui-meme 1e processus par lequel toutes les choses sont causees et causantes : la raison est naturelle. Cependant la science cartesienne n'a pas pu etre reformee par ce nouveau systeme de la nature; l'echec relatif de la nouvelle epistemologie physique est compense par le transfert de modele de la mecanique oscillatoire naissante vers les comportements affectifs individuels et sociaux. Le spinozisme est sans conteste une philosophie naturelle et un rationalisme integral. En tant que rationalisme, il resiste a la tendance du naturalisme vers la demesure d'une ontologie de la puissance; en tant que philosophie naturelle, il resiste a la tendance spiritualisante ou idealisante du rationalisme. C'est un systeme bien equilibre quoique non definitivement acheve, son oscillation entre deux poles de la pensee et sa mesure bien temperee lui laissant une certaine marge d'adaptation qui est sans doute la cause de son etemelle actualite.

L'objectif de notre étude est d'examiner les notions de vérité et de certitude chez Spinoza, afin d'éclairer le sens et la portée de la thèse spinoziste exprimée par la formule : "la vérité est norme d'elle-même et du faux". Nous avons d'abord déterminé la conception spinoziste de la vérité à travers l'analyse de la notion d'adéquation (propriété intrinsèque de l'idée vraie) et de celle de convenientia (propriété extrinsèque de l'idée vraie). Nous avons montré que ces deux aspects de l'idée vraie se complètent, bien que le premier ait un rôle prépondérant puisqu'il fonctionne aussi comme norme de la vérité. Nous avons examiné ensuite le concept de certitude. Ce concept se rattache au caractère apodictique de l'adéquation et se comprend comme indubitabilité, c'est-à-dire comme pouvoir d'exclure les raisons de douter. Enfin, nous avons montre, à travers l’examen de la solution spinoziste du problème du "cercle cartésien" que cette thèse enveloppe une conception parfaitement cohérente de l'autojustification de la raison
Our objective in this study is to examine Spinoza’s theory of truth and certainty. The goal being to highlight the meaning and range of the spinozist thesis as expressed by the formula: "truth is the standard both of itself and of the false". We first determined the spinozist concept of truth through the analysis of adequacy (extrinsic property of true idea). We have shown of agreement (extrinsic property of true idea). We have shown that these two aspects of true idea are complementary, though the first plays a more important role in that it also functions as the standard of truth. We then examined the concept of certainty. This concept is linked to the apodictic character of adequacy and is understood as indubitability, that is, as the power to exclude reasons to doubt. Finally we have shown, through examination of the spinozist solution to the "cartesian circle" problem, that this thesis supports the perfectly consistent concept of self-justification of reason

Comment et pourquoi devenir actif selon Spinoza ? Dans une ontologie déterministe, où chaque chose singulière est inscrite dans la série infinie des causes finies, la question se pose de savoir comment penser le devenir actif de l'homme, c'est-à-dire la possibilité pour lui d'être la cause totale de ses actions. Mais surtout, dans une philosophie de l'immanence, où le bien ne vaut que par son utilité pour celui qui en jouit, la question proprement éthique se pose de savoir pourquoi devenir actif : la passivité ne peut-elle faire notre bonheur ? Que gagnons-nous à nous efforcer de devenir actif ? La thèse de ce travail est qu'il n'est pas possible de résoudre ces problèmes en distinguant, dans le mode, entre ce qu'il peut (essentiellement) et ce qu'il est (existentiellement)
How and why to become active, according to Spinoza ? In a determinist ontology, the question is : how to understand the possibility of becoming an adequate or total cause ? But most of all, in a philosophy of immanence, the real ethical question is : why should one become active ? Is passivity not sufficient to provide happiness ? What is the advantage of becoming active ? Our thesis is that these problems cannot be solved by a distinction within the mode between what it essentially can do and what it existentially is. .

La notion de cause est l’alpha et l’oméga de l’Éthique. Mais elle apparaît principalement de manière oblique : à travers « l’idée d’une cause extérieure » qui accompagne les passions dérivées. La cause, imaginée de façon assignable, n’est en fait plus assignable. L’individu étant complexe, il est difficile de démêler ce qui lui arrive de l’extérieur, de ce qui est produit par l’intérieur. Dans la passion, on se modifie à son insu pour devenir un sujet de ce qui lui arrive, et comprend la cause de ce changement sous la forme d’un récit. Cette dynamique imaginaire, nous l’appelons « causalité imaginaire » et nous l’expliquons en termes mécaniques. Nous dégageons d’abord l’essentiel de la mécanique spinoziste : la positivité ontologique de chaque idée (nature agissante) ; la multiplicité des référentiels qui se croisent en une seule et même nature (enveloppement) ; et le concept d’individu originairement composé (emboîtement des individus). La coexistence de ces référentiels autour d’un seul, voilà ce qui constitue la structure de la causalité imaginaire, et la variation de leur proportion, son contenu effectif. Conformément à cette structure, nous appliquons le « conatus », principe d’autoconservation, en premier aux idées ou affects, pour montrer que le désir, essence actuelle de l’homme, est un complexe d’affects qui, individus eux-mêmes, médiatisent l’influence des autres. Il en résulte que la causalité imaginaire est la causalité mécanique elle-même, relative aux individus complexes. Enfin, tout en nous référant à la causalité psychique freudienne, nous tentons d’esquisser un nouveau concept d’Inconscient, comme rapport sans sujet ou structure sans centre
The notion of cause is the alpha and omega of Ethics. But it appears mostly in an oblique way: through "the idea of ​​an external cause" that accompanies the derived passions. The cause, imagined assignable, is actually no more assignable. As the individual is complex, it is difficult to disentangle what is happening in it from the exterior, from what is produced by the interior. In passion, one is modified unwittingly to become a subject of what happens to him, and understand the cause of this change under the form of a story. This imaginary dynamics, I call it "imaginary causality" and explain it in mechanical terms. I establish first the key features of Spinoza’s mechanics: the ontological positivity of each idea (acting nature); the multiplicity of referential frames that intersect at a single nature (envelopment); and the concept of the individual as originally composed (nesting individuals). The coexistence of these referential frames around only one of them, this is precisely what constitutes the structure of imaginary causality, and the variation of their proportion, its actual content. In accordance with this structure, I apply "conatus", self-preservation principle, to ideas or affects at first, to show that desire, actual essence of a man, is a complex of affects which, as individuals themselves, mediate the influence of others. It turns out that imaginary causality is the very mechanical causality, concerning the complex individuals. Finally, while I refer to Freudian psychic causality, I attempt to outline a new concept of the unconscious: as relation without a subject or structure without a center

Ultracold atomic gases have established themselves as quantum systems, which are clean and offer a high degree of control over crucial parameters. They are well isolated from their environment and thus offer the possibility to study coherent many-body dynamics. In this thesis, we address the dynamics of ultracold Fermions with large spin. Fermionic spinor gases differ from the typical situation in condensed matter physics, due to both the presence of the trap and the possibility of having fermions with large (>1/2) spin. Compared to the spin-1/2 case, large spin fermions must have one of two possible new properties. Either they obey an enhanced SU(N) symmetry, or they feature spin-changing collisions and a quadratic Zeeman shift. Here, we address the latter case. In the weakly interacting scenario, there are three different regimes. For very weak interactions, the system is in the collisionless regime and interactions can be taken into account on a mean-field level. For stronger interactions, collisions ensure local equilibrium and the system is described by hydrodynamic equations. For the intermediate regime however, there is no simple description. Moreover, the scattering cross-section for spin-changing and spin-conserving collisions can be different for large-spin fermions and we find a situation, where the system is hydrodynamic with respect to one process but not the other. In this thesis, a semi-classical Boltzmann equation with full spin coherence is developed, which allows to interpolate between the collisionless and hydrodynamic regime in the presence of the trap and for large spins. This approach goes beyond mean-field theory and treats the single-particle dynamics as an open system coupled to an environment given by all other particles. We find good agreement with experiments performed in the group of Klaus Sengstock at Hamburg University, using ultracold Potassium-40. We begin by investigating the effect of the harmonic trap on a collisionless system. We find a dynamical mechanism for spin-segregation, the mean-field driven creation of two domains of opposite magnetization in phase-space. The effect finds a transparent explanation when introducing the concept of dynamically induced long-range interactions, occurring when the fast phase-space rotation induced by a strong parabolic trap effectively smears out the contact interactions. Further results in this thesis have been achieved in collaboration with the experimental group in Hamburg. In the first project, we study the collective excitations of a trapped four-component Fermi gas. Long wavelength spin waves are excited by using a magnetic field gradient to wind up a spin spiral. During the subsequent dynamics, the spin components oscillate in the trap, while the total density remains constant. The dynamics can be understood quantitatively by disentangling it into dipolar, nematic and octupolar configurations. In a further experiment with spin-9/2 fermions, it was found that spin-changing interactions can lead to collective and coherent oscillations of the spin state of the whole Fermi sea with long lifetimes. It is found theoretically, that these giant oscillations are protected from spatial dephasing by dynamically induced long-range interactions. We identify the suppression of such oscillations in the high-density regime as the consequence of incoherent non-forward scattering. In the last project, we study collision processes in ultracold Potassium in greater detail. We find that they can be arranged in 3 categories: Spin-changing vs. spin-conserving collisions, processes depending on density vs. processes depending on density gradients and forward vs. lateral scattering. With this categorization, as well as the exact dependence of each process on scattering lengths and momenta, we can explain and simulate not only the coherent mean-field driven oscillations, but also relaxation effects that appear to be incoherent on the single-particle level
Gases atómicos ultrafríos han establecido como sistemas cuánticos limpias que ofrecen un alto grado de control sobre parámetros cruciales. Están bien aisladas de su entorno y por eso ofrecen la posibilidad de estudiar la dinámica coherente de muchos cuerpos. En esta tesis, estudiamos la dinámica de fermiones ultrafríos con spin largo. Gases espinoriales fermiónicos difieren de la situación típica en la física de materia condensada por la presencia de la trampa y la posibilidad de tener un spin largo (> 1/2). En comparación con el caso de spin 1/2, fermiones de espín largo deben tener una de dos posibles propiedades nuevas. Obedecen a una simetría ampliada SU(N), o muestran colisiones spin-cambiante y un efecto Zeeman cuadrático. Aqui tratamos el segundo caso. En el escenario de interacciónes débiles, hay tres regímenes diferentes. Para interacciones muy débiles, el sistema está en el régimen sin colisiones e interacciones se puede describir en un nivel de campo medio. Para interacciones fuertes, las colisiones garantizan el equilibrio local y el sistema es descrito por ecuaciones hidrodinámicas. Para el régimen intermedio, no hay una descripción sencilla. Ademas, la sección transversa de dispersión para colisiones spin-cambiantes y de spin-conservación puede ser diferente para fermiones de espín largo. Encontramos una situación, donde el sistema es hidrodinámico con respecto a un proceso, pero no a la otra. En esta tesis desarrollamos una ecuación de Boltzmann semi-clásica, que permite interpolar el régimen intermedio, en presencia de la trampa y para espín largo. Este enfoque trata la dinámica de un cuerpo como un sistema abierto, acoplado a un entorno determinado por todas las atomos demás. Encontramos un buen acuerdo con experimentos realizados en el grupo de Klaus Sengstock en la Universidad de Hamburgo, hechos con potasio-40 ultrafrío. Comenzamos investigando el efecto de la trampa armónica en un sistema sin colisiones. Encontramos un mecanismo dinámico par la segregación de spin, la creación de dos dominios de magnetización opuesta en el espacio fásico, impulsada por el campo medio. Encontramos una explicación transparente de este efecto con la introducción del concepto de interacciones de largo alcance inducidos dinámicamente, que se forma cuando una fuerte trampa parabólica desenfoque eficazmente las interacciones de contacto. Otros resultados de esta tesis han sido realizados en colaboración con el grupo experimental en Hamburgo. En el primer proyecto, estudiamos las excitaciones colectivas de un gas de Fermi atrapada, con cuatro componentes de spin. Ondas de spin con larga longitud de onda se excitan mediante un gradiente de campo magnético. Durante la dinámica siguiente, los componentes de spin oscilan en la trampa, mientras que la densidad total permanece constante. Podemos entender esta dinámica cuantitativamente desligandola en configuraciones dipolares, nemáticos y octupolares de espín. En un experimento siguiente con fermiones de spin 9/2, se encontró que las interacciones spin-cambiando pueden activar oscilaciones colectivas y coherentes del estado de spin de todo el mar de Fermi con duración larga. Descubrimos teóricamente, que estas oscilaciones gigantes están protegidos de desfase espacial por las interacciones de largo alcance inducidos dinámicamente. Identificamos la supresión de tales oscilaciones en el régimen de alta densidad como la consecuencia de la dispersión incoherente lateral. En el último proyecto, estudiamos los procesos de colisión en potasio ultrafrío en mas detalle. Podemos organizarlos en tres categorías: Colisiones spin-cambiante vs. spin-conservación, procesos dependiente de la densidad vs. gradientes de densidad y colisiones hacia adelante vs. laterales. Con esta clasificación y la dependencia en la longitud de dispersión y momentos, podemos explicar y simular no sólo las oscilaciones coherentes impulsados por el campo medio, sino también efectos de relajación

This essay attempts to examine whether it is possible to find a mutual understanding of the concept of drive between Spinoza’s philosophy and Freud’s psychoanalytical theory. Former texts on this subject have given a variety of conclusions: from a radical separation between the two authors to a complete identification between the two. The drive, or the desire which is the term Spinoza uses, has in Spinoza’s philosophy its foundation in the concept of conatus. Conatus is every thing’s strive to persevere in its being and is the expression of God’s, or the only substance’s, force and action in a here and a now. In the Freudian theory the term trieb, drive, is defined by it’s variation regarding object, source and aim. The late Freudian theory of drives separates the life drive, also called Eros, from the death drive. Eros is the strive of every being to maintain life but also to procreate and create stronger unities of life. It is, as the strive of conatus, a persevering strive. However, in examining the strive of conatus to persevere in its being, which could be said to strive by the guidance of a principle of joy, the distinction between the concept of conatus and the Freudian Eros is made visible through the comparison to the Freudian pleasure principle.

En esta investigación estudiamos el pensamiento político de Spinoza, bajo la hipótesis de que, si bien parte de los mismos referentes y categorías políticas que seguían los filósofos de su época, como Hobbes o Maquiavelo, las consecuencias de su reflexión son originales. Además, se muestra, que la novedad del pensamiento de Spinoza no se restringe a su época, sino que su pensamiento aporta categorías pertinentes para algunas discusiones actuales en Política. Hemos consultado, fundamentalmente, tres obras de Spinoza: La Ética Demostrada Según el Orden Geométrico, El Tratado Teológico Político y el Tratado Político. El desarrollo de la investigación está compuesto por cuatro partes. En la primera parte, explicamos que la investigación política de Spinoza parte de condiciones concretas y vitales, puesto que comprende que los hombres han sido engañados por medio del miedo en su forma mistificada, la superstición, también explicamos la lógica de la superstición como instrumento de control político. En la segunda parte analizamos la estrategia de Spinoza para superar el engaño de la superstición, para tal efecto, Spinoza demuestra que la causa de la superstición son las interpretaciones temerarias, que los teólogos han hecho de la Escritura, en consecuencia, Spinoza comprende que para refutar la alienación religiosa tiene que plantear interpretaciones adecuadas de la Escritura, y por tal razón propone su propio método hermenéutico, de esta forma se destaca la concepción política de la hermenéutica de Spinoza, puesto que se prsenta como instrumento liberación. En la tercera parte estudiamos, lo que se podría denominar su propuesta política, y en función de la cuarta parte, nos concentramos en la polémica que existe en torno a la idea que Spinoza tenía de “multitud”. En la cuarta parte, discutimos con dos interpretaciones actuales del pensamiento de Spinoza: la materialista, en la que nos concentramos en la interpretación que hace Negri de “multitud”; la liberal, en la que discutimos con los filósofos que consideran a Spinoza como un filósofo liberal, y finalmente proponemos que el pensamiento de Spinoza está más próximo al pensamiento republicano, y concluimos con, lo que consideramos, es uno de los aportes más pertinentes de Spinoza a la reflexión democrática de hoy, la deliberación.
This research that analyses Baruch Spinoza’s political thought arises on the assumption that although He initiates his political studies with the same political categories and conceptual references of Machiavelli and Hobbes, the political consequences that He infers, e.g. on democracy, are original and unique. The research also demonstrates that the novelty of Spinoza’s political thought is not limited to the discussions of his time, also provide relevant categories for current political debates. The research has consulted and studied three main works of Spinoza: Ethic Demonstrated in Geometrical Order, Theological Political Treatise, and the Political Treatise. The development of this research consists of four sections: in the first section, I explain that Spinoza’s political research initiates with concrete and vital conditions of men in the State, where the men have been deceived by fear in her mystified form, superstition. I also investigate the logic of superstition as an instrument of political control. In the second section, I analyze Spinoza’s strategy to overcome the delusion of superstition, to that effect, Spinoza finds, that furthermore of the political power, the cause of superstition is a reckless interpretation of Scripture made by the theologians. Therefore, Spinoza refutes religious alienation since a new interpretation of the scriptures that He proposes with the aim of liberating men from superstition. In this way we can see that Spinoza's hermeneutic is conceived as instrument of liberation. The third section addresses the Spinoza’s political proposal, and, at the same time, this section is a mediation with the fourth section because I focus on the political controversy that exists around the idea of ‘multitude’. In the fourth section I argue with two current interpretations of Spinoza's political thought, first I argue with Negri’s concept of "multitude" in order to refute the claim that Spinoza is a materialist philosopher and then I refute the tradition that considers Spinoza as a liberal thinker. Finally, I propose that Spinoza’s political thought is closer to Republicanism than the two previous traditions, and I conclude that his republican concept of deliberation is one of the most relevant contribution to democratic current discussions.

There is interest in Spinoza in a range of disciplines with a focus on embodiment, agency and affect that has resulted in revisiting Spinoza as an alternative to the transcendence of dominant Cartesian thought. Spinoza offers a different understanding of reason that incorporates embodied experience through his alternative to abstract universals, the common notions. The role of affect and its relation to reason in Spinoza are discussed in relation to Descartes. Jonathan Bennett and Edwin Curley’s views on affect are discussed. It is argued that Deleuze’s discussion of expression in Spinoza is limited by the application of liberal ideas of power to Spinoza. Genevieve Lloyd and Moira Gatens offer a productive application of Spinoza’s thought to contemporary issues through a rethinking of imagination in the light of the focus in cultural studies on ‘imagined communities’. However, the inability of philosophy to distinguish abstract universals from alternatives such as Spinoza’s common notions has limited its ability to embrace embodied experience, which in turn limits the possibilities for applying Spinoza’s insights from within philosophy. The common notions are an alternative to abstract universals, and are able to confront the conflicting meanings and differences within them
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The influence of Spinoza on Post-Kantian Idealism has been acknowledged by virtually all commentators in the area. Much research on the influence of Spinoza on Hegel has been already carried out by many of Hegel's commentators in both the Continental and Anglo- American tradition, and Hegel himself wrote a great deal on Spinozism. Detailed research and study on the influence of Spinoza on Fichte and Schelling, however, is still to be carried out in the Anglo-American tradition; and this situation is in contrast to the current scenario in Germany, where much effort has been devoted to this topic. Commentators in the Anglo-American tradition acknowledge the influence of some of Spinoza's views on Fichte's and Schelling's respective projects but fail to provide a detailed account of this influence. This thesis will attempt to help fill in the gap in this area by providing a detailed study of the influence of Spinozism on Fichte and Schelling. This will be done by drawing parallels and by demonstrating similarities between some of their philosophical views, as well as referring to textual evidence where Fichte and Schelling acknowledge, overtly or not, their debt to Spinoza. This thesis is divided into three parts. In Part I I shall provide the context or background to this thesis. This part focus on the reception of Spinoza's writings in the Netherlands and Germany (chap. 1), the Enlightenment and Romantic movement as well as the Enlightenment crises (chap. 2), and Kant's attempt to solve the crises (chap. 3). In Part II and III I deal with Fichte's and Schelling's Spinozism respectively. Part II is divided into three chapters, which are entitled: "Metaphysics, Knowledge and Freedom" (chap. 4), "Theology and Religion" (chap. 5)， and "Ethics" (chap. 6). Part III is also divided into three chapters, which are entitled: "From Kant to Fichte to Schelling: Spinoza's contribution to Absolute Idealism" (chap. 7), "Pantheism and God" (chap. 8), and finally "Deep Ecology" (chap. 9). Finally, in this abstract I find it important to draw the reader's attention to a few issues. My sympathies with, or antipathies to, the various positions taken by the authors I discuss will no doubt be apparent as the thesis unfolds. And it could be said that this thesis is primarily intended as an exercise in the history, influence and study of some conceptual views particular to Spinozism, and as such it shall be of great interest to metaphysicians. But in doing so this thesis will also set the background for a proper understanding of Fichte's and Schelling's philosophical systems - this is an important point as there is a tendency in philosophical and academic circles to 'box in' philosophical systems as if these systems were self-contained and bore no connection with previous philosophical systems; moreover, there is also a tendency in these circles not to appreciate the legacy of philosophical systems either. As such, this thesis aims to help correcting this situation insofar as Spinoza, Fichte and Schelling are concerned - but it can be also viewed as a template for similar research in connection to other philosophical systems. It is also intended that the interpretations of Fichte and Schelling in the light of their Spinozism, which I propose will be useful to other scholars in their attempt to critically appraise the writings of these important figures.

La tesi indaga i temi fondamentali, i limiti e le implicazioni della relazione tra le filosofie di Nietzsche e di Spinoza, sia analizzando storiograficamente il ruolo di Spinoza nei testi di Nietzsche (I parte), sia sviluppando una proposta teoretica a partire dai due autori (II, III e IV parte). L’indagine storiografica procede presentando le riflessioni che Nietzsche dedica a Spinoza secondo un criterio tematico-cronologico. Durante l’esposizione sono discusse le fonti utilizzate da Nietzsche e il significato che le menzioni di Spinoza ricoprono nell’economia generale del pensiero nietzschiano. La seconda parte della ricerca indaga le ragioni per le quali la connessione tra Nietzsche e Spinoza può risultare teoreticamente convincente, in particolare a partire dall’istanza propriamente critica della loro riflessione, che si manifesta come domanda “empia” sul mondo delle credenze condivise. In particolare, è la nozione di “causa” a fungere da rifugio per la credenza metafisica nel soggetto anche all’interno dell’universo deterministico in cui opera la scienza. Come va invece pensato un determinismo che sia filosoficamente coerente? Le ultime due parti di questa ricerca sviluppano alcune ipotesi in proposito, considerando singolarmente le filosofie di Spinoza e di Nietzsche.
This thesis investigates the key issues, limits and implications of the relation between the philosophies of Nietzsche and Spinoza. It analyses the role of Spinoza in Nietzsche’s writings (part I) and develops a theoretical proposal starting from the works of the two authors (II, III and part IV). The historical investigation presents Nietzsche’s notes on Spinoza in a thematic-chronological order, analyses their sources and discusses their meaning in the general economy of Nietzsche’s thought. The second part of the thesis investigates the reasons why the connection between Nietzsche and Spinoza can be theoretically convincing by analysing their critical approach to the world of shared beliefs. In particular, the notion of "cause" seems to be a rest of the metaphysical belief in the subject within the deterministic universe of science. How can determinism be philosophically consistent? The last two parts of this thesis develop some hypotheses on this subject by considering separately the philosophies of Spinoza and Nietzsche.

Orientador: Prof. Dr. Paulo Vieira Neto
Dissertaçao (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Humanas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Filosofia. Defesa: Curitiba, 10/04/2015
Inclui referências
Área de concentração: Filosofia
Resumo: A pergunta pela felicidade é essencial na filosofia imanente de Spinoza, a qual é apresentada como o gozo de uma alegria eterna e estável com Deus, causa de todas as coisas. São três âmbitos que constituem a questão da felicidade nesta filosofia: afetivo, cognitivo e ético. Assim, é na vivência dos afetos e no conhecimento deles que o conatus de cada modo finito será capaz de afirmar-se como autônomo e potência plena de autoperseveração na existência. O percurso que conduz à conquista da felicidade envolve necessariamente a experiência da alegria, visto que a alegria favorece nossa potência pois é aumento de perfeição para a ação e o pensamento. O homem que regozija de alegria é forte e ativo, compreende a si próprio e aos seus afetos, assim como compreende os demais modos de maneira adequada; é sábio e sua atenção e cuidado são dirigidos à vida e tudo o que possa contribuir com a sua expansão. Filosofia da ação, a felicidade é, portanto, a atividade vital de fruição desta alegria concomitante ao conhecimento intuitivo de terceiro gênero, ou seja, o sentimento de eternidade e união com Deus. Palavras-chave: afetos, alegria, conatus, conhecimento, Deus, felicidade.
Abstract: The question of happiness is essential in the immanent philosophy of Spinoza. Happiness is therein presented as a kind of joy resulting from an eternal, stable joy with God, who is the cause of everything. There are three areas, which build the basis of this thought about the question of happiness: affective, cognitive and ethical. So, in the experience of the affects and with the understanding of such, the conatus of every single, finite mode will be able to affirm his autonomy as well as to assert himself as full potentiality of self-persistence. The way leading to conquest of happiness requires in any case the experience of joy, since it promotes our own potentiality by being the enhancement of the perfection of acting and thinking. The man exulting from joy is strong and active, he understands himself and his affects, as well as in an appropriate way he understands the further modes. He is wise and carefully pays attention to life and everything else that may contribute to the enhancement of life potentiality. As a result and practice of a philosophy of acting happiness namely is the essential action of this joy, which presents itself on occasion of the intuitive knowledge of the third kind, which means, with the feeling of eternity and unification with God. Key words: affects, joy, conatus, knowledge, God, happiness

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This essay aims to discourse on the concept of infinite in Baruch Spinoza, taking as main theoretical reference two of his works, the Metaphysical Thoughts and The Letter 12. The objective is to show that the concept of infinite represents a key idea to Spinoza s system, where all his theses concerning immanent causality and psychophysical parallelism are based on. The research begins with a historical approach about the matter of infinite, discussed by a tradition of thinkers who preceded Spinoza, since the Greeks until Descartes in modernity. In a second moment, the analysis turns to the matter of infinite understood by Spinoza who, as he defends the idea of current infinite, ends up retaking the theory of Anaxagoras, Nicolau of Cusa and Giordano Bruno, where, according to them, God is not separated of his creatures, but keeps a relation of immanency with them. In this case, according to Spinoza, to affirm that God is infinite means saying that He comprehends all things and nothing can exist separated from Him, and moreover, being substance, God cannot be separate of his conditions (modes), what is explained by the immanency of his causality, in what cause (God) and effect (modes) occur simultaneously. The habit of separate the substance from his conditions comes from the misunderstanding between the way how the mind understands the substance through the beings of Reason (time, measure, number) and the essence of the own substance. Through the beings of Reason, the substance is composed of parts and, therefore, it is divisible; however, considering its essential aspect, it is indivisible. This explains the thesis of parallelism as well since mind and body, due to inseparability of conditions, cannot be considered independent substances, but expressions of a single and same substance, either conceived by the attribute of thinking, or conceived by the attribute of extension. According to Spinoza, the dualism proposed by his main interlocutor, Descartes, precisely appeared due to the fact of his misunderstanding concerning the real aspect of substance (indivisible attributes) with his modal aspect (divisible modes).
Esta dissertação tem o objetivo de discorrer sobre o conceito de infinito em Baruch Spinoza, tomando como referencial teórico principal duas de suas obras, Os Pensamentos Metafísicos e a Carta 12. A tarefa aqui é mostrar que o conceito de infinito representa uma ideia chave para o sistema de Spinoza, sobre o qual estão assentadas as teses da causalidade imanente e do paralelismo psicofísico. O estudo se inicia com uma abordagem histórica acerca da questão do infinito, discutido por uma tradição de pensadores que antecederam Spinoza, desde os gregos até Descartes na modernidade. Em um segundo momento, a análise se volta para questão do infinito entendido por Spinoza que, ao defender a ideia do infinito atual, acaba retomando as teorias de Anaxágoras, Nicolau de Cusa e Giordano Bruno, segundo as quais Deus não está separado de suas criaturas, mas mantém uma relação de imanência com elas. Nesse caso, para Spinoza, afirmar que Deus é infinito significa dizer que Ele abrange todas as coisas e nada pode existir separado Dele, ou melhor, sendo substância, Deus não pode ser separado de suas afecções (os modos), o que é explicado pela imanência de sua causalidade, na qual causa (Deus) e o efeito (as afecções) ocorrem conjuntamente. O hábito de separar a substância de suas afecções vem da confusão entre o modo como a mente percebe a substância através dos entes de Razão (tempo, medida, número) e a essência da própria substância. Pelos entes de Razão, a substância é composta de partes e, portanto divisível; todavia, considerando o seu aspecto essencial, ela é indivisível. Isso explica também a tese do paralelismo já que a mente e o corpo, devido à indissociabilidade das afecções, não podem ser consideradas substâncias independentes, mas expressões de uma única e mesma substância, ora concebida pelo atributo pensamento, ora concebida pelo atributo extensão. De acordo com Spinoza, o dualismo proposto pelo seu principal interlocutor, Descartes, surgiu justamente pelo fato deste confundir o aspecto real da substância (atributos indivisíveis) com seu aspecto modal (modos divisíveis).