Professor Heidi M. Ravven, of Hamilton College, is a specialist on the philosophy of the seventeenth century Jewish philosopher, Baruch Spinoza. She was the first philosopher to propose that Spinoza anticipated central discoveries in the neuroscience of the emotions. Ravven has published widely on Spinoza’s philosophic thought, on the twelfth century philosopher Moses Maimonidea, on free will and the new brain sciences, and on Jewish ethics.

Supported by The Harold J. and Arlyne G. Levy Lecture and Conference Fund and the UB Humanities Institute.