The Significance of Spinoza The Significance of Spinoza

The first modern The first modern philosopher?philosopher?

Understanding Understanding the Emotions is the Emotions is centralcentral

The Ethics of The Ethics of Love is centralLove is central

Background to Spinoza: Background to Spinoza: Maimonides & DescartesMaimonides & Descartes

1135-1204, Guide of the Perplexed (see pp. 7, 19)

1596-1650, Meditations on First Philosophy

Spinoza will criticize:Cartesian dualism

View of GodView of humans

The nature of errorThe understanding of emotions (see pp. 102, 142)

Baruch (Benedict) SpinozaBaruch (Benedict) Spinoza

1632: b. Amsterdam1632: b. Amsterdam Rabbinical educationRabbinical education 1656: excommunicated 1656: excommunicated

for unorthodoxyfor unorthodoxy 1663: 1663: Descartes’ Descartes’

Principles of PhilosophyPrinciples of Philosophy 1670: 1670: Theologico-Theologico-

Political TreatisePolitical Treatise 1677: Death 1677: Death 1678: Publication of 1678: Publication of

Ethics Ethics

From the formal record of From the formal record of Spinoza’s excommunication:Spinoza’s excommunication:

““Cursed be he by day and cursed be he by night; cursed be Cursed be he by day and cursed be he by night; cursed be he when he lies down, and cursed be he when he rises up; he when he lies down, and cursed be he when he rises up; cursed be he when he goes out, and cursed be he when he cursed be he when he goes out, and cursed be he when he comes in. The Lord will not pardon him; the anger and comes in. The Lord will not pardon him; the anger and wrath of the Lord will rage against this man, and bring upon wrath of the Lord will rage against this man, and bring upon him all the curses which are written in the Book of the Law, him all the curses which are written in the Book of the Law, and the Lord will destroy his name from under the and the Lord will destroy his name from under the Heavens.” Heavens.” • From: A. Wolf, ed., From: A. Wolf, ed., The Oldest Biography of SpinozaThe Oldest Biography of Spinoza (London: George (London: George

Allen & Unwin, 1927), 146.Allen & Unwin, 1927), 146.

Approaching the Approaching the EthicsEthics ““To be a philosopher you must first be a To be a philosopher you must first be a

Spinozist: if you have no Spinozism, you have Spinozist: if you have no Spinozism, you have no philosophy.” no philosophy.” HegelHegel

““Indisputable masterpiece” Indisputable masterpiece” J. BennettJ. Bennett ““One of the major and most influential works One of the major and most influential works

in philosophy” in philosophy” E. CurleyE. Curley ““Spinoza is the noblest and most lovable of Spinoza is the noblest and most lovable of

the great philosophers. Intellectually, some the great philosophers. Intellectually, some have surpassed him, but ethically he is have surpassed him, but ethically he is supreme.” supreme.” Bertrand Russell Bertrand Russell

““All things excellent are as difficult as they All things excellent are as difficult as they are rare.” are rare.” SpinozaSpinoza

Today it seems everybody loves Spinoza…

“I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals Himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings.”

Albert Einstein

Why Demonstrated Why Demonstrated in Geometrical Order?in Geometrical Order?

Incontrovertible certaintyIncontrovertible certainty

““It is the nature of reason to It is the nature of reason to perceive things under a certain perceive things under a certain species of eternity.” e2p44c2species of eternity.” e2p44c2

““For the eyes of the mind, by which For the eyes of the mind, by which it sees and observes things, are it sees and observes things, are demonstrations.” e5p23sdemonstrations.” e5p23s

Part One: Concerning God Part One: Concerning God (Metaphysics)(Metaphysics)

Central definitions (Part I):Central definitions (Part I):• Substance Substance (Monism)(Monism)• AttributesAttributes (Property-Dualism)(Property-Dualism)• ModesModes (Pantheism)(Pantheism)

Deus sive NaturaDeus sive Natura (God, or in other words (God, or in other words Nature): Nature is a unified whole, and we must Nature): Nature is a unified whole, and we must grasp the nature of this whole before we can grasp the nature of this whole before we can understand the parts.understand the parts.

Self-caused, existing, necessarily infinite, Self-caused, existing, necessarily infinite, indivisible, extended (corporeal), immutable, indivisible, extended (corporeal), immutable, infinitely powerful, without freedom of will, infinitely powerful, without freedom of will, immanent causeimmanent cause

Which are most controversial?Which are most controversial?

Central PropositionsCentral Propositions

Prop. 5: In the universe there cannot be Prop. 5: In the universe there cannot be two or more substances of the same two or more substances of the same nature or attribute.nature or attribute.

Why?Why?• Because then nothing could possibly Because then nothing could possibly

distinguish them. distinguish them. Prop. 7: It belongs to the nature of Prop. 7: It belongs to the nature of

substance to exist.substance to exist.

Ontological Proofs of God’s Ontological Proofs of God’s ExistenceExistence

Prop. 11: God, or substance consisting of infinite Prop. 11: God, or substance consisting of infinite attributes, each of which expresses eternal and attributes, each of which expresses eternal and infinite essence, necessarily exists.infinite essence, necessarily exists.

Reductio ad absurdum (“reduction to the Reductio ad absurdum (“reduction to the absurd”—assume the opposite of what you want absurd”—assume the opposite of what you want to prove and derive a contradiction or absurdity, to prove and derive a contradiction or absurdity, thus proving the affirmative)thus proving the affirmative)

God doesn’t exist.God doesn’t exist. Therefore his essence doesn’t involve existence. Therefore his essence doesn’t involve existence.

(contra. Prop. 7)(contra. Prop. 7) Thus, God exists.Thus, God exists.

Ontological Proofs of God’s Ontological Proofs of God’s ExistenceExistence

An a posteriori proof: An a posteriori proof: Axiom: to be able not to exist is a weakness; to be able to Axiom: to be able not to exist is a weakness; to be able to

exist is a power.exist is a power. If what necessarily exists is only finite entities, then they If what necessarily exists is only finite entities, then they

are more powerful than an absolutely infinite entity, which are more powerful than an absolutely infinite entity, which is absurd.is absurd.

Thus, since we exist, so must an absolutely infinite entity.Thus, since we exist, so must an absolutely infinite entity.

Prop. 14: There can be, or be conceived, no other Prop. 14: There can be, or be conceived, no other substance but God. substance but God.

A perfect substance possesses all attributes. (def. 6)A perfect substance possesses all attributes. (def. 6) There can’t be more than one substance possessing an There can’t be more than one substance possessing an

attribute. (prop. 5)attribute. (prop. 5) Thus, only one perfect substance exists, since there are no Thus, only one perfect substance exists, since there are no

attributes left over for another substance.attributes left over for another substance.

Determinism: e1p25-33Determinism: e1p25-33 Everything that happens is determined by two Everything that happens is determined by two

factors—the standing nature of God (i.e., the laws factors—the standing nature of God (i.e., the laws of nature) and previous conditions likewise of nature) and previous conditions likewise determined back through infinite time determined back through infinite time

Central propositions: 25 & 29 & 33Central propositions: 25 & 29 & 33 A problem? Props. 23 & 28A problem? Props. 23 & 28

Appendix on Human Prejudices: Against the Appendix on Human Prejudices: Against the Doctrine of Final Causes, i.e., that Nature has an Doctrine of Final Causes, i.e., that Nature has an end (or that God has a will)—this doctrine end (or that God has a will)—this doctrine negates the perfection of Godnegates the perfection of God

Advantages of Determinism Advantages of Determinism (E2p49s) (E2p49s)

1. Teaches us to act solely in accordance 1. Teaches us to act solely in accordance with the command of God and participate with the command of God and participate in divine nature…and to act out of love.in divine nature…and to act out of love.

2. Proper attitude towards fortune2. Proper attitude towards fortune 3. Social life: teaches us to hate no one, 3. Social life: teaches us to hate no one,

despise no one…be content and help our despise no one…be content and help our neighborsneighbors

4. Society in general: how citizens should 4. Society in general: how citizens should be governed—not as slaves, but as free be governed—not as slaves, but as free menmen

Part Two: On the Nature and Origin Part Two: On the Nature and Origin of the Mindof the Mind

Philosophy of Mind, Theory of Knowledge Philosophy of Mind, Theory of Knowledge (Epistemology), Philosophy of Science(Epistemology), Philosophy of Science

What are the two known attributes of God?What are the two known attributes of God? Thought and ExtensionThought and Extension Descartes and the Mind/Body ProblemDescartes and the Mind/Body Problem Spinoza’s solution: mind-body identity theory and Spinoza’s solution: mind-body identity theory and

psychophysical parallelismpsychophysical parallelism The mind is just the idea of the body, i.e., a mode The mind is just the idea of the body, i.e., a mode

of thought that is identical with the body and has of thought that is identical with the body and has the body as its object.the body as its object.

Because each is causally self-contained, there is Because each is causally self-contained, there is no question of bodily events causing mental ones no question of bodily events causing mental ones or vice versa.or vice versa.

Part Two: Central PropositionsPart Two: Central Propositions Prop. 7: The order and connection of ideas is the Prop. 7: The order and connection of ideas is the

same as the order and connection of things.same as the order and connection of things. Prop. 11: The first thing that constitutes the Prop. 11: The first thing that constitutes the

actual being of the human mind is simply the idea actual being of the human mind is simply the idea of some particular thing which actually exists. of some particular thing which actually exists.

Corollary: The human mind is part of the infinite Corollary: The human mind is part of the infinite intellect of God.intellect of God.

Prop. 13: the object of the idea constituting the Prop. 13: the object of the idea constituting the human mind is the body, or, a certain actually human mind is the body, or, a certain actually existing mode of extension, and nothing else.existing mode of extension, and nothing else.

EpistemologyEpistemology Criterion of truth: an adequate idea: Def. 4Criterion of truth: an adequate idea: Def. 4 Nature of Falsity (error, sin): Nature of Falsity (error, sin): Prop. 35: Falsity consists in the privation of Prop. 35: Falsity consists in the privation of

knowledge which inadequate, i.e. mutilated and knowledge which inadequate, i.e. mutilated and confused, ideas involve.confused, ideas involve.

Falsity is not a positive characteristic of ideas, but Falsity is not a positive characteristic of ideas, but rather a kind of privation or mutilation. Because rather a kind of privation or mutilation. Because things must be understood through their causes, things must be understood through their causes, an idea of a thing that doesn’t include knowledge an idea of a thing that doesn’t include knowledge of its cause is incomplete and partial. of its cause is incomplete and partial.

Examples: “Humans are free.” “The sun is 200 Examples: “Humans are free.” “The sun is 200 feet away.”feet away.”

Three Kinds of Knowledge Three Kinds of Knowledge (E2p40s2)(E2p40s2)

First, Opinion or ImaginationFirst, Opinion or Imagination Disorganized, confused knowledge from senses Disorganized, confused knowledge from senses

and experience. (Only source of falsity)and experience. (Only source of falsity) Second, ReasonSecond, Reason Understand essential properties of things clearly Understand essential properties of things clearly

and distinctly; understand causal process and and distinctly; understand causal process and how things follow deductively. how things follow deductively.

Third, IntuitionThird, Intuition To “see” self-evident truths without explicit To “see” self-evident truths without explicit

conscious processes of reasoning.conscious processes of reasoning. An example: A common property of proportionals An example: A common property of proportionals

1, 2, 3, …?1, 2, 3, …?