Spinoza – Ethics One
Charles Manekin
8/1/2017
Modern Philosophy PHIL320
1
Topics of Discussion





Brief Comments About Spinoza’s Bio
The Geometric Method
Substance, Attribute, Mode
God or Nature
The “Properties” of God
8/1/2017
Modern Philosophy PHIL320
2
Spinoza’s Life





Born 1632 in Amsterdam; father imported
dried fruits and nuts; member in good
standing of Jewish community.
Studied with Menasshe ben Israel, Isaac
Aboab, Saul Levi Morteira
Went into business with his brother.
Began to study Latin and secular subjects.
Put in Cherem on July 27, 1656, probably
for theological doctrines and doubts about
the divinity of Scriptures.
8/1/2017
Modern Philosophy PHIL320
3
Spinoza’s Life





In late 1650’s, work on the Treatise on
the Emendation of the Intellect and the
Short Treatise on God, Man, and WellBeing
1663, Principles of Descarte’s
philosophy
Writes in 1670, the Theological Political
Treatise
1675 – decides first to publish, then not
to publish, the Ethics
Dies in 1677
8/1/2017
Modern Philosophy PHIL320
4
The Geometric Method




Geometrical method may have been
adopted primarily with the Cartesians
involved.
He starts out with definitions and axioms
that in are in themselves familiar to the
Cartesians.
And proceeds in a geometric fashion, as if
to say, “You must accept my conclusions,
since they follow from your definitions and
premises.”
Also, this was his pedagogic tool.
8/1/2017
Modern Philosophy PHIL320
5
Substance


“By substance I understand what is in itself, and is
conceived through itself, i.e., that whose concept does not
require the concept of another thing, from which it is
formed.”
Contrast this with five classic definitions of substance:
• The concrete particular: this table, this man, this thing.
• The essence of something: what is the substance of your
remarks.
• The center of change. What remains of something when
its properties change.
• The bearer of properties; what underlies the various
properties.
• That which possesses independent existence.
8/1/2017
Modern Philosophy PHIL320
6
Mode



By mode I mean the affections of
substance; that is, that which is in
something else and conceived
through something else.
What is the distinction between
substance and mode?
Substance is ontologically
independent of anything else; it is
dependent on nothing else for its
existence.
8/1/2017
Modern Philosophy PHIL320
7
Mode



Furthermore, in order to conceive
substance, it is not necessary to refer to
anything else.
This is what Spinoza means when he says
that substance is conceived through itself.
A mode, however, is ontologically and
epistemologically dependant upon
substance; it exists as a modification of
substance, and is understood through
reference to substance.
8/1/2017
Modern Philosophy PHIL320
8
Attribute




By attribute I mean that which (the) intellect perceives of
substance as constituting its essence.
What is the relationship of substance and attribute?
Substance is rendered intelligible through attribute;
otherwise we would know no more about substance than
what follows from its definition; we would not know its
nature.
Two examples are given
• By 'Israel' I understand the third Patriarch; by Jacob I
understand the same. But I also understand why the name
was given -- because he seized the brother's heel.
• By flat I mean what reflects all rays of light without any
change; I understand the same by white, except that it is
called white in relation to a man looking at a flat surface
8/1/2017
Modern Philosophy PHIL320
9
Substance Monism




Were there more than one
substance, they could not have a
shared attribute.
Hence, no causal interaction
Were there more than one substance
there would have to be a cause of
that particular number.
Explanatory rationalism.
8/1/2017
Modern Philosophy PHIL320
10
Substance exists of necessity


It pertains to the nature of substance
is self-caused.
Substance is indivisible.
• No parts of substance

God, a substance absolutely infinite,
of which one expressing an eteranal
and infinite essence, exists of
necessity.
8/1/2017
Modern Philosophy PHIL320
11
Nothing can be conceived without
God



God as efficient cause of everything.
God’s actions are both free and
necessary.
Determinism (P33) – Things could
have been produced by God in no
other order than they have been
produce.
8/1/2017
Modern Philosophy PHIL320
12