Den Uyl adheres to the proposition that Benedictus de Spinoza (1632-77) was part of a radical Enlightenment, and that it was this school that raised the philosophical questions that drove the modern Enlightenment adopted by institutions. He discusses the philosopher's humanism from such perspectives as activity, ethics, freedom, and modernity. Some of the material has been published before. There is no index. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)