Abstract

The paper argues that Spinoza may have deepened his conception of poetry as not only a resource for the understanding but as the highest peak of the understanding. I begin by reviewing selected literature on Spinoza’s views on language and show how Spinoza’s presentation of his philosophy builds on a conception of what language can do. I then make a succinct case for a reading of Ethics Part 5 Proposition 24, where we find an attempt at a poetic expression of thought, as Spinoza explores what he considers the highest form of knowledge: intuitive science. This is an original manuscript of an article published online by Taylor & Francis in the Australasian Philosophical Review on 20 Oct 2024.