La doble recepción del spinozismo en alemania durante el siglo XVIII

this article reconstructs the reception of spinoza's thought from 1670 up to 1789 in germany and proposes a new interpretation of this process. we argue that the reception of spinozism en germany during this period is controlled by an image of this doctrine, which depicts it essentially as atheist. we think that the characterization of spinozism as atheism covers two different problematic constellations. on the one hand, it refers to the incompatibility of spinoza's philosophy with theism and remits to the dangers that it represents for the religious, moral and political order based on the existence of a theistic god. the problem that underlies this fight against spinoza is, therefore, the problem of the metaphysical foundation necessary to support a determined order. on the other hand, spinoza is denounced as an atheist because of his intention to rationally demonstrate the existence of god, for believing that human reason is capable of accessing truth without external aid or supernatural illumination. this second aspect of the spinoza-reception overlaps with the discussion about the competence and the boundaries of human reason and, therefore, with the principle of enlightenment.