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第2章

the ethics(part v)-第2章

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the understanding only; we shall determine solely by the knowledge of the



mind the remedies against the emotions; which I believe all have had



experience of; but do not accurately observe or distinctly see; and from the



same basis we shall deduce all those conclusions; which have regard to the



mind's blessedness。











AXIOMS。



I。 If two contrary actions be started in the same subject; a change must



necessarily take place; either in both; or in one of the two; and continue



until they cease to be contrary。







II。 The power of an effect is defined by the power of its cause; in so far



as its essence is explained or defined by the essence of its cause。 (This



axiom is evident from III。vii。)











PROPOSITIONS。







Prop。I。 Even as thoughts and the ideas of things are arranged



and associated in the mind; so are the modifications of body or



the images of things precisely in the same way arranged and



associated in the body。







Proof。… The order and connection of ideas is the same (II:vii。) as the order



and connection of things; and vice versa the order and connection of things



is the same (II:vi。Coroll。 and II:vii。) as the order and connection of



ideas。 Wherefore; even as the order and connection of ideas in the mind



takes place according to the order and association of modifications of the



body (II:xviii。); so vice versa (III:ii。) the order and connection of



modifications of the body takes place in accordance with the manner; in



which thoughts and the ideas of things are arranged and associated in the



mind。 Q。E。D。











PROP。II。 If we remove a disturbance of the spirit; or emotion;



from the thought of an external cause; and unite it to other



thoughts; then will the love or hatred towards that external cause;



and also the vacillations of spirit which arise from these



emotions; be destroyed。







Proof。… That; which constitutes the reality of love or hatred; is pleasure



or pain; accompanied by the idea of an external cause (Def。 of the



Emotions:vi。;&vii。); wherefore; when this cause is removed; the reality of



love or hatred is removed with it; therefore these emotions and those



which arise therefrom are destroyed。 Q。E。D。











Prop。III。 An emotion; which is a passion; ceases to be a



passion; as soon as we form a clear and distinct idea thereof。







Proof。… An emotion; which is a passion; is a confused idea (by the general



Def。 of the Emotions)。 If; therefore; we form a clear and distinct idea of a



given emotion; that idea will only be distinguished from the emotion; in so



far as it is referred to the mind only; by reason (II:xxi。;&Note); therefore



(III:iii。); the emotion will cease to be a passion。 Q。E。D。







Corollary。… An emotion therefore becomes more under our control; and the



mind is less passive in respect to it; in proportion as it is more known to



us。











Prop。IV。 There is no modification of the body; whereof we



cannot form some clear and distinct conception。







Proof。… Properties which are common to all things can only be conceived



adequately (II:xxxviii。); therefore (II:xii。and Lemma。 ii。 after II:xiii。)



there is no modification of the body; whereof we cannot form some clear and



distinct conception。 Q。E。D。







Corollary。… Hence it follows that there is no emotion; whereof we cannot



form some clear and distinct conception。 For an emotion is the idea of a



modification of the body (by the general Def。 of the Emotions); and must



therefore (by the preceding Prop。) involve some clear and distinct



conception。







Note。… Seeing that there is nothing which is not followed  by an effect



(I:xxxvi。); and that we clearly and distinctly understand whatever



follows from an idea; which in us is adequate (II:xl。); it follows that



everyone has the power of clearly and distinctly understanding himself and



his emotions; if not absolutely; at any rate in part; and consequently of



bringing it about; that he should become less subject to them。 To attain



this result; therefore; we must chiefly direct our efforts to acquiring; as



far as possible; a clear and distinct knowledge of every emotion; in order



that the mind may thus; through emotion; be determined to think of those



things which it clearly and distinctly perceives; and wherein it fully



acquiesces: and thus that the emotion itself may be separated from the



thought of an external cause; and may be associated with true thoughts;



whence it will come to pass; not only that love; hatred; &c。 will be



destroyed (V:ii。); but also that the appetites or desires; which are wont to



arise from such emotion; will become incapable of being excessive (IV:lxi。)。



For it must be especially remarked; that the appetite through which a man is



said to be active; and that through which he is said to be passive is one



and the same。 For instance; we have shown that human nature is so



constituted; that everyone desires his fellow…men to live after his own



fashion (III:xxxi。Note); in a man; who is not guided by reason; this



appetite is a passion which is called ambition; and does not greatly differ



from pride; whereas in a man; who lives by the dictates of reason; it is an



activity or virtue which is called piety (IV:xxxvii。Note。i。 and second



proof)。 In like manner all appetites or desires are only passions; in so far



as they spring from inadequate ideas; the same results are accredited to



virtue; when they are aroused or generated by adequate ideas。 For all



desires; whereby we are determined to any given action; may arise as much



from adequate as from inadequate ideas (IV:lix。)。 Than this remedy for the



emotions (to return to the point from which I started); which consists in a



true knowledge thereof; nothing more excellent; being within our power; can



be devised。 For the mind has no other power save that of thinking and of



forming; adequate ideas; as we have shown above (III:iii。)。











Prop。V。 An emotion towards a thing; which we conceive



simply; and not as necessary; or as contingent; or as possible; is;



other conditions being equal; greater than any other emotion。







Proof。… An emotion towards a thing; which we conceive to be free; is greater



than one towards what we conceive to be necessary (III:xlix。); and;



consequently; still greater than one towards what we conceive as possible;



or contingent (IV:xi。)。 But to conceive a thing as free can be nothing else



than to conceive it simply; while we are in ignorance of the causes whereby



it has been determined to action (II:xxxv。Note); therefore; an emotion



towards a thing which we conceive simply is; other conditions being equal;



greater than one; which we feel towards what is necessary; possible; or



contingent; and; consequently; it is the greatest of all。 Q。E。D。











Prop。VI。 The mind has greater power over the emotions and is



less subject thereto; in so far as it understands all things as



necessary。







Proof。… The mind understands all things to be necessary (I:xxix。) and to be



determined to existence and operation by an infinite chain of causes;



therefore (by the foregoing Proposition); it thus far brings it about; that



it is less subject to the emotions arising therefrom; and (III:xlviii。)



feels less emotion towards the things themselves。 Q。E。D。







Note。… The more this knowledge; that things are necessary; is applied to



particular things; which we conceive more distinctly and vividly; the



greater is the power of the mind over the emotions; as experience also



testifies。 For we see; that the pain arising from the loss of any good is



mitigated; as soon as the man who has lost it perceives; that it could not



by any means have been preserved。 So also we see that no one pities an



infant; because it cannot speak; walk; or reason; or lastly; b

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