Exempla desiderarem
Spinoza and the Facies Totius Universi
Abstract
This article analyzes the expression Facies totius Universi (FTU), contained in Letter 64 to Schuller, in order to offer some considerations concerning Spinoza’s philosophy of imaginative language, particularly concerning his use of examples. The most recent readings of Spinoza’s use of language make imagination a positive expression, which can help to understand clear and distinct concepts. Following this path, the aim of this article will be to examine a specific example used by Spinoza (the FTU) to develop historical, exegetical, and more strictly philosophical considerations regarding both the example itself and Spinoza’s use of language.
Presentato: 06 Maggio 2026 | Accettato: 04 Agosto 2026 | Pubblicato 17 Settembre 2026 | Lingua: en
Keywords Mediate Infinite Modes • Facies Totius Universi • Seneca • Imagination • Spinoza
Copyright © 2026 Matteo/Attilia Camerini/Di Corato, Attilia Di Corato. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/Jolma/2723-9640/2026/01/001