Kenneth Novis

Research Topic 

Spinoza and the Virtuous Atheism Debate

Supervisors: A. W. Moore and Caroline Warman

My current research concerns the 17th century Dutch philosopher Benedict Spinoza, and especially his reception in pre-revolutionary France. In this reception, I focus on the use of his ideas in discussions of atheism, featuring Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet, Pierre Daniel Huet, Pierre Bayle, Voltaire, Etienne-Bonnot de Condillac, Denis Diderot, and Paul-Henri Thiry d’Holbach. The purpose of this research is to intervene upon current discussions of Spinoza and atheism, and to exhibit how his ideas were appropriated by partisan philosophes for the sake of their own political ends. It also serves to correct the prevailing narrative within philosophy of the history of Spinoza’s reception.

I have additional interests in the history of French philosophy up to the present day, and have previously worked on Simone Weil, Louis Althusser, Gilles Deleuze, and François Laruelle. Beyond philosophy, I have conducted research in social movement history, especially into Italy around the ‘hot autumn’ of 1969-70.

Prior to arriving in Oxford, I completed my MA and MSc by Research at the University of Edinburgh supervised by Alasdair Richmond and David Levy. I was awarded the Skirving Prize and the James Hutchison Stirling Prize, both for academic achievement in Philosophy.

For a popular introduction to my research, see my article with Philosophy Now, titled ‘Was Spinoza Actually an Atheist?’ (https://philosophynow.org/issues/151/Was_Spinoza_Actually_An_Atheist)

Outside of my studies, I work for the British publisher Zer0 and Repeater Books as a member of their podcast team. Our channel can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@zer0repeater