Alexander Douglas is a lecturer in the School of Philosophical, Anthropological, and Film Studies at the University of St Andrews. Previously he taught at Heythrop College, University of London. He studies early modern rationalism, particularly various forms of Cartesianism and especially that of Spinoza. He is interested in the idea that human reason can access a reality not visible to the senses and aims to trace some of its history, involving the history of formal logic and theology as well as of philosophy. He is the author of Spinoza and Dutch Cartesianism: Philosophy and Theology (Oxford University Press, 2015). He is also interested in critiques of political economy and is the author of The Philosophy of Debt (Routledge, 2015). He is currently writing a book that draws on Spinoza\u2019s philosophy to present the thesis that \u2018special hope\u2019 \u2013 hope that exceeds scientifically-warranted belief \u2013 is both a personal and political virtue.
\n\nThis podcast is an audio recording of Dr. Douglas' talk - 'Spinoza\u2019s Unquiet Acquiescentia' - at the Aristotelian Society on 17 February 2020. The recording was produced by the Backdoor Broadcasting Company.