Also 8 Spinocism, -osaism, 8–9 Spinosism. [f. the name of the philosopher Baruch or Benedict de Spinoza (1632–77). So F. spinosisme.] The philosophical doctrines of Spinoza, or the general principle underlying these; pantheism as represented by Spinoza.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The great Principle of Spinosism is, That there is nothing properly and absolutely existing, but Matter, and the Modifications of Matter.
1740. Warburton, Vind. Pope’s Ess. Man, 24. Spinozism is the Destruction of an Universe, where every Thing tends … to the Perfection of the Whole.
1757. Law, Lett. Import. Subj., 177. As Spinocism is nothing else but a gross confounding of God and nature.
a. 1765. Stukeley, Mem. (Surtees), I. 127. He wrote a treatise against Mr. Pope’s essay on man, to prove it to be atheism, spinosaism, deism,… & what not.
1821. Coleridge, Lett., Convers., etc. I. 25. To guard my own character from the suspicions of pantheistic opinions, or Spinosism.
1881. R. Adamson, Fichte, 130. The theoretical part … is nothing but an inverted or idealistic Spinozism.
