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After reading Spinoza's supposedly great work, I couldn't help but think about the things he told me regarding God, or say, the universe. How can that be infinite if it does not go out infinitely, say compared to, the distance of light. One of these propositions, that "God exists, is everything, and is all thoughts" (yes, even the thought that's the opposite of that thought) makes no sense to me. He also proposes that everything is infinite and that nothing is finite.
I can tell you countless more, but I don't want to bore you. Spinoza then claims that it's the imagination or distinction of things that makes things finite. So how can the imagination make something finite if the finite doesn't exist. Now I'm giving this review 2 out of 5 stars because I do believe this book is very well organized and very well translated. Again, the more I think about what he says in this book, the more absurd it becomes. After constant pondering, I began to come to my own conclusion that most of Spinoza's propositions in Ethics are completely absurd.
But according to Spinoza, nothing is finite. Other than that, I can't see how this book can help clear my mind from any doubts it has already given me. For if it were not absurd, then thinking "God doesn't exist, is not everything, and is not all thoughts" would be true as well, which totally goes against Spinoza's proposition on God. But what about the size of my arm.
This beautiful work of inquiry effectively overturns much of Cartesian conceptions of causality and has effectively been canonized as the essential alternative to Kantian epistemology. This enticing and difficult text remains a major source of philosophical writing and debate. Spinoza's Ethics is perhaps the first major response to the radical Cartesianism of his period. Spinoza's thinking of substance, attributes, and modes, has remained an indispensable source of joy and bliss for major philosophers. Curley's translation is still the best in English. Although published posthumously (and considered a curiosity by many of Spinoza's closest friends), the Ethics quickly became the center of metaphysical and epistemological attention in Europe. Drawing from a constellation of axioms, Spinoza constructs an elaborate geometrical castle of metaphysical thinking.
Of the Power of the Intellect, or On Human Freedom. There shall no man speak to him, no man write to him, no man show him any kindness, no man stay under the same roof with him." This cheap penguin edition is nicely produced with an attractive cover, though it's a pity the proof reader didn't spot that Spinoza's name is spelt `Spinza' on the copyright page. It seems almost impertinent of me to review Spinoza's masterpiece. In this age of theological chop-logic and political spin, Spinoza's Euclidean method of arguing for God-or-Nature as the self-causing, single, infinite substance conceived under infinite attributes (or aspects) of which we humans have knowledge only of two (thought and matter soars far above the heads of most contemporary academics and bewilders first year philosophy students, who are routinely advised to leave Spinoza well alone and settle down with Descartes instead. The Lord blot out his name under heaven. Of God; 2. Of the Origin and Nature of the Affects; 4.Of Human Bondage, or the Power of the Affects; 5.
Matthew Arnold begins his essay 'Spinoza and the Bible' with the full force of the rabbinic vehemence, "By the sentence of the angels, by the decree of the saints, we anathematize, cut off, curse, and execrate Baruch Spinoza.cursed be he by day, and cursed by night.the Lord pardon him never, the wrath and fury of the Lord burn upon this man. Spinoza was excommunicated by the Catholic Church, booted out by the Quakers and expelled from the synagogue; he was cursed, reviled, and anathematized.
The book is in five parts: 1. Spinoza takes us step by logical step, from basic axioms via propositions, demonstrations and explanations, to a world view which inspired Einstein to formulate his theories of relativity, which started the romanticist movement, and which provided the foundations for modern existentialism.
I would give it ten stars if I could. It is not easy reading, but studying it with an open mind will pay huge dividends.
Stuart Hampshire's introduction is very helpful, and Edwin Curley's translation is superb.Basic Flying Instruction: A Comprehensive Introduction to Western Philosophy What a great deal they miss.
Of the Nature and Origin of the Mind; 3.
For example, I'm opening the book now, Page 132, the first thing I read in Italics is: "Only insofar as men live according to the guidance of reason, must they always agree in nature."At the top of that same page it says, "Peter has the idea of a thing he loves which is already possessed, whereas Paul has the idea of a thing he loves which is lost. His view is that there is nothing that cannot be known. Spinoza worked through his ideas using his mathematical background. That is why one is affected with joy and the other with sadness, and to that extent they are contrary to one another."Spinoza teaches us to be moral without religion, but with a total belief in God. Try it, for this book will end up being well worn by you. He diligently recorded his postulates in a very studied order. Remember, he wrote this in the 1600's under trying circumstances.Anyone can pick up the "Ethics" today, randomly open the book and find meaning on just about any topic.
Einstein espoused himself a Spinozan. Imagine then that we wish to make sense of the human paradox of violence, hate, love and passion, fear and hope, and give it a framework through which to view the world and gain serenity and purpose. Now dear reader, we are ready to begin our book on the meaning of life despite the fact that we will never publish it for fear of death. If anything, Ethics obtains renewed relevance in the post-modern 21st century and its unfolding events.Imagine setting out as an objective to describe human existence and the "journey to inner freedom." To accomplishment that feat, we must first begin with G~d and the universe, then work our way through nature, religion, society, science, and evolution until we can frame the essence of man.
We wish to supersede and encompass all these earlier attempts, including current thinking on Judeo Christian practice. I view almost all important constructs in life within his tautology. Please read Spinoza.One last note: Readers may find one of the translations of his work more approachable. I plead with the reader not to allow the geometric treatise of his work to get in the way of accessing this most incredible accomplishment. Ethics is a towering work by an absolute genius, a mathematical definitive explanation of G~d, the universe and man's place in it. Read it not because you think you must fight through `great philosophy', but for its beautiful symmetry of ground breaking rational thought. While doing so, we shall set our bar high. Lastly, imagine we are frail and suffer from ill health, our views necessarily rendering us relatively penniless and unknown, hiding in modest obscurity.
Imagine ourselves cut off from public discourse, excommunicated from family and friends. It is certainly one of the most astounding and important books ever written. His astounding work is a testament to the blinding power of rational thought. He not only filled in pieces of the puzzle I had missing, he rearranged them and gave them sense. We will extrapolate these beliefs and universal relationships as a geometric treatise in the manner of a mathematical proof, with definitions, axioms and propositions, and so demonstrate the possibility of reducing philosophy and the pursuit of human fulfillment to a scientific exercise. His work changed my life.
I eagerly recommend this work to anyone interested in exploring their thoughts on philosophy, religion and psychology. Most great thinkers name `Ethics' among their largest influences. Imagine that our thoughts are so revolutionary that even the heretics (mainly Protestants) and evolving philosophers with whom we must find safe harbor view our thoughts with alarm. Imagine further that we do not wish to merely write yet another philosophical or Eastern spiritual text. Now imagine that we shall set out on our metaphysical journey during the Inquisition, when espousals contrary to the Church result in execution.
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