Le vie del lume naturale nel Trattato teologico-politico: ratio ed experientia

Starting from two problems regarding the correct reading of the concept of lumen naturale in Spinoza’s thought, this paper aims to outline the role of the lumen naturale in Spinoza’s Tractatus theologico-politicus. In particular, Spinoza presents the idea of natural light in two ways, understood in terms of method. On the one hand, the rational way, in continuity with the Thomistic tradition, subsumes the concept of natural light in identification with the ratio/intellectus. On the other hand, the empirical way assumes the empirical natural light as a common capacity to follow the moral teaching of the Scripture. Moreover, whereas the first way, the rational, is proper to philosophers, the second empirical way, constituted as the common ground of philosophers and non-philosophers, is easily “understandable” by each one.