The Ethics, Benedictus de Spinoza [best reads txt] 📗
- Author: Benedictus de Spinoza
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involves necessary existence (I. Def. viii.). Therefore to
conceive things under the form of eternity, is to conceive things
in so far as they are conceived through the essence of God as
real entities, or in so far as they involve existence through the
essence of God ; wherefore our mind, in so far as it conceives
itself and the body under the form of eternity, has to that
extent necessarily a knowledge of God, and knows, &c. Q.E.D.
PROP. XXXI. The third kind of knowledge depends on the mind, as
its formal cause, in so far as the mind itself is eternal.
Proof.-The mind does not conceive anything under the form of
eternity, except in so far as it conceives its own body under the
form of eternity (V. xxix.) ; that is, except in so far as it is
eternal (V. xxi. xxiii.) ; therefore (by the last Prop.), in so
far as it is eternal, it possesses the knowledge of God, which
knowledge is necessarily adequate (II. xlvi.) ; hence the mind,
in so far as it is eternal, is capable of knowing everything
which can follow from this given knowledge of God (II. xl.), in
other words, of knowing things by the third kind of knowledge
(see Def. in II. xl. note. ii.), whereof accordingly the mind
(III. Def. i.), in so far as it is eternal, is the adequate or
formal cause of such knowledge. Q.E.D.
Note.-In proportion, therefore, as a man is more potent in
this kind of knowledge, he will be more completely conscious of
himself and of God ; in other words, he will be more perfect and
blessed, as will appear more clearly in the sequel. But we must
here observe that, although we are already certain that the mind
is eternal, in so far as it conceives things under the form of
eternity, yet, in order that what we wish to show may be more
readily explained and better understood, we will consider the
mind itself, as though it had just begun to exist and to
understand things under the form of eternity, as indeed we have
done hitherto ; this we may do without any danger of error, so
long as we are careful not to draw any conclusion, unless our
premisses are plain.
PROP. XXXII. Whatsoever we understand by the third kind of
knowledge, we take delight in, and our delight is accompanied by
the idea of God as cause.
Proof.-From this kind of knowledge arises the highest
possible mental acquiescence, that is (Def of the Emotions,
xxv.), pleasure, and this acquiescence is accompanied by the idea
of the mind itself (V. xxvii.), and consequently (V. xxx.) the
idea also of God as cause. Q.E.D.
Corollary.-From the third kind of knowledge necessarily
arises the intellectual love of God. From this kind of knowledge
arises pleasure accompanied by the idea of God as cause, that is
(Def. of the Emotions, vi.), the love of God ; not in so far as
we imagine him as present (V. xxix.), but in so far as we
understand him to be eternal ; this is what I call the
intellectual love of God.
PROP. XXXIII. The intellectual love of God, which arises from
the third kind of knowledge, is eternal.
Proof.-The third kind of knowledge is eternal (V. xxxi. I.
Ax. iii.) ; therefore (by the same Axiom) the love which arises
therefrom is also necessarily eternal. Q.E.D.
Note.-Although this love towards God has (by the foregoing
Prop.) no beginning, it yet possesses all the perfections of
love, just as though it had arisen as we feigned in the Coroll.
of the last Prop. Nor is there here any difference, except that
the mind possesses as eternal those same perfections which we
feigned to accrue to it, and they are accompanied by the idea of
God as eternal cause. If pleasure consists in the transition to
a greater perfection, assuredly blessedness must consist in the
mind being endowed with perfection itself.
PROP. XXXIV. The mind is, only while the body endures, subject
to those emotions which are attributable to passions.
Proof.-Imagination is the idea wherewith the mind
contemplates a thing as present (II. xvii. note) ; yet this idea
indicates rather the present disposition of the human body than
the nature of the external thing (II. xvi. Coroll. ii.).
Therefore emotion (see general Def. of Emotions) is imagination,
in so far as it indicates the present disposition of the body ;
therefore (V. xxi.) the mind is, only while the body endures,
subject to emotions which are attributable to passions. Q.E.D.
Corollary.-Hence it follows that no love save intellectual
love is eternal.
Note.-If we look to men’s general opinion, we shall see that
they are indeed conscious of the eternity of their mind, but that
they confuse eternity with duration, and ascribe it to the
imagination or the memory which they believe to remain after
death.
PROP. XXXV. God loves himself with an infinite intellectual
love.
Proof.-God is absolutely infinite (I. Def. vi.), that is (II.
Def. vi.), the nature of God rejoices in infinite perfection ;
and such rejoicing is (II. iii.) accompanied by the idea of
himself, that is (I. xi. and Def. i.), the idea of his own cause
: now this is what we have (in V. xxxii. Coroll.) described as
intellectual love.
PROP. XXXVI. The intellectual love of the mind towards God is
that very love of God whereby God loves himself, not in so far as
he is infinite, but in so far as he can be explained through the
essence of the human mind regarded under the form of eternity ;
in other words, the intellectual love of the mind towards God is
part of the infinite love wherewith God loves himself.
Proof.-This love of the mind must be referred to the
activities of the mind (V. xxxii. Coroll. and III. iii.) ; it is
itself, indeed, an activity whereby the mind regards itself
accompanied by the idea of God as cause (V. xxxii. and Coroll.) ;
that is (I. xxv. Coroll. and II. xi. Coroll.), an activity
whereby God, in so far as he can be explained through the human
mind, regards himself accompanied by the idea of himself ;
therefore (by the last Prop.), this love of the mind is part of
the infinite love wherewith God loves himself. Q.E.D.
Corollary.-Hence it follows that God, in so far as he loves
himself, loves man, and, consequently, that the love of God
towards men, and the intellectual love of the mind towards God
are identical.
Note.-From what has been said we clearly understand, wherein
our salvation, or blessedness, or freedom, consists : namely, in
the constant and eternal love towards God, or in God’s love
towards men. This love or blessedness is, in the Bible, called
Glory, and not undeservedly. For whether this love be referred
to God or to the mind, it may rightly be called acquiescence of
spirit, which (Def. of the Emotions, xxv. xxx.) is not really
distinguished from glory. In so far as it is referred to God, it
is (V. xxxv.) pleasure, if we may still use that term,
accompanied by the idea of itself, and, in so far as it is
referred to the mind, it is the same (V. xxvii.).
Again, since the essence of our mind consists solely in
knowledge, whereof the beginning and the foundation is God (I.
xv., and II. xlvii. note), it becomes clear to us, in what manner
and way our mind, as to its essence and existence, follows from
the divine nature and constantly depends on God. I have thought
it worth while here to call attention to this, in order to show
by this example how the knowledge of particular things, which I
have called intuitive or of the third kind (II. xl. note. ii.),
is potent, and more powerful than the universal knowledge, which
I have styled knowledge of the second kind. For, although in
Part I. I showed in general terms, that all things (and
consequently, also, the human mind) depend as to their essence
and existence on God, yet that demonstration, though legitimate
and placed beyond the chances of doubt, does not affect our mind
so much, as when the same conclusion is derived from the actual
essence of some particular thing, which we say depends on God.
PROP. XXXVII. There is nothing in nature, which is contrary to
this intellectual love, or which can take it away.
Proof.-This intellectual love follows necessarily from the
nature of the mind, in so far as the latter is regarded through
the nature of God as an eternal truth (V. xxxiii. and xxix.).
If, therefore, there should be anything which would be contrary
to this love, that thing would be contrary to that which is true
; consequently, that, which should be able to take away this
love, would cause that which is true to be false ; an obvious
absurdity. Therefore there is nothing in nature which, &c.
Q.E.D.
Note.-The Axiom of Part IV. has reference to particular
things, in so far as they are regarded in relation to a given
time and place : of this, I think, no one can doubt.
PROP. XXXVIII. In proportion as the mind understands more things
by the second and third kind of knowledge, it is less subject to
those emotions which are evil, and stands in less fear of death.
Proof.-The mind’s essence consists in knowledge (II. xi.) ;
therefore, in proportion as the mind understands more things by
the second and third kinds of knowledge, the greater will be the
part of it that endures (V. xxix. and xxiii.), and, consequently
(by the last Prop.), the greater will be the part that is not
touched by the emotions, which are contrary to our nature, or in
other words, evil (IV. xxx.). Thus, in proportion as the mind
understands more things by the second and third kinds of
knowledge, the greater will be the part of it, that remains
unimpaired, and, consequently, less subject to emotions, &c.
Q.E.D.
Note.-Hence we understand that point which I touched on in
IV. xxxix. note, and which I promised to explain in this Part ;
namely, that death becomes less hurtful, in proportion as the
mind’s clear and distinct knowledge is greater, and,
consequently, in proportion as the mind loves God more. Again,
since from the third kind of knowledge arises the highest
possible acquiescence (V. xxvii.), it follows that the human mind
can attain to being of such a nature, that the part thereof which
we have shown to perish with the body (V. xxi.) should be of
little importance when compared with the part which endures. But
I will soon treat of the subject at greater length.
PROP. XXXIX. He, who possesses a body capable of the greatest
number of activities, possesses a mind whereof the greatest part
is eternal.
Proof.-He, who possesses a body capable of the greatest
number of activities, is least agitated by those emotions which
are evil (IV. xxxviii.)-that is (IV. xxx.), by those emotions
which are contrary to our nature ; therefore (V. x.), he
possesses the power of arranging and associating the
modifications of the body according to the intellectual order,
and, consequently, of bringing it about, that all the
modifications of the body should be referred to the idea of God ;
whence it will come to pass that (V. xv.) he will be affected
with love towards God, which (V. xvi.) must occupy or constitute
the chief part of the mind ; therefore (V. xxxiii.), such a man
will possess a mind whereof the chief part is eternal. Q.E.D.
Note.-Since human bodies are capable of the greatest number
of activities, there is no doubt but that they may be of such a
nature, that they may be
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