The Presence of Spinoza in Carlos Astrada’s Philosophy: Two Writings from 1933

Abstract

The following paper addresses two of Carlos Astrada’s writings: both dated from the year 1933, they are dedicated to the philosophy of Baruch Spinoza and become a starting point of further discussion, where questions arise regarding the peculiar reading that Astrada made of the Dutch thinker and the possible link that there could exist between their philosophies. We will defend the hypothesis that recognizing the deep imbrication between metaphysics and ethics that constitutes Spinoza’s thought, Astrada rescues the practical dimension, the ethical project as a fundamental element of this philosophy and as a central aspect of the influence of Spinozism on other authors.