The Dictionary of seventeenth and eighteenth-century Dutch philosophers

Abstract

Following on from Thoemmes Press's Dictionary of Eighteenth-Century British Philosophers (1999), Dictionary of Seventeenth-Century British Philosophers (2000) and Dictionary of Nineteenth-Century British Philosophers (2002), this work provides a further key research source in the history of philosophy. The Dictionary of Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Dutch Philosophers covers the 200-year period of the Dutch Republic, when its people experienced a Golden Age in the arts, in sea trade and in philosophy that left a lasting impression on European culture. The Dutch witnessed nothing less than a philosophical revolution, driven to a large extent by the migres from France, Finland, Portugal, Britain, Switzerland, Germany and elsewhere, who provided the Golden Age with its thinkers. As a result of the unique position held by the Netherlands during the period, this dictionary constitutes an anthology of European thought at large. Included are all foreign thinkers (such as Rene Descartes and Pierre Bayle) who exercised a major influence on the philosophical life of the Dutch Republic and who developed their ideas through interaction with other philosophers residing there. Among these resident philosophers, as well as all the well-known figures such as Benedict Spinoza, many lesser-known ones are included. Each entry includes a bibliography listing the subject's major and minor philosophical writings and giving guidance to further reading. A system of cross-references makes it easy for the reader to pursue connections and influences. In addition, the dictionary features entries on Dutch universities, city academies, publishing houses and journals. This work should be of interest to all students and scholars of the period.