the ethics(part iv)-第3章
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man should be incapable of undergoing any changes save such as tended
towards his own preservation。 But the first alternative is absurd (by the
last Prop。; the proof of which is universal; and can be applied to all
individual things)。 Therefore; if it be possible; that man should not be
capable of undergoing any changes; save such as can be explained solely
through his own nature; and consequently that he must always (as we have
shown) necessarily exist; such a result must follow from the infinite
power of God; and consequently (I:xvi。) from the necessity of the divine
nature; in so far as it is regarded as affected by the idea of any given
man; the whole order of nature as conceived under the attributes of
extension and thought must be deducible。 It would therefore follow (I:xxi。)
that man is infinite; which (by the first part of this proof) is absurd。
It is; therefore; impossible; that man should not undergo any changes save
those whereof he is the adequate cause。 Q。E。D。
Corollary。… Hence it follows; that man is necessarily always a prey to
his passions; that he follows and obeys the general order of nature; and
that he accommodates himself thereto; as much as the nature of things
demands。
Prop。 V。 The power and increase of every
passion; and its persistence in existing
are not defined by the power; whereby we
ourselves endeavour to persist in existing;
but by the power of an external cause
compared with our own。
Proof。… The essence of a passion cannot be explained through our
essence alone (III:Def。i。&。ii。); that is (III:vii。); the power of
a passion cannot be defined by the power; whereby we ourselves
endeavour to persist in existing; but (as is shown in II:xvi。) must
necessarily be defined by the power of an external cause compared
with our own。 Q。E。D。
Prop。 VI。 The force of any passion or emotion
can overcome the rest of a man's activities or
power; so that the emotion becomes obstinately
fixed to him。
Proof。… The force and increase of any passion and its persistence in
existing are defined by the power of an external cause compared with
our own (by the foregoing Prop。); therefore (IV:iii。) it can overcome a
man's power; &e。 Q。E。D。
Prop。 VII。 An emotion can only be controlled
or destroyed by another emotion contrary
thereto; and with more power for controlling
emotion。
Proof。… Emotion; in so far as it is referred to the mind; is an idea;
whereby the mind affirms of its body a greater or less force of existence
than before (cf。 the general Definition of the Emotions at the end of
Part III。) When; therefore; the mind is assailed by any emotion; the
body is at the same time affected with a modification whereby its power
of activity is increased or diminished。 Now this modification of the body
(IV:v。) receives from its cause the force for persistence in its being;
which force can only be checked or destroyed by a bodily cause (II:vi。);
in virtue of the body being affected with a modification contrary to
(III:v。) and stronger than itself (IV。Ax。); wherefore (II:xii。) the mind
is affected by the idea of a modification contrary to; and stronger than
the former modification; in other words; (by the general definition
of the emotions) the mind will be affected by an emotion contrary to and
stronger than the former emotion; which will exclude or destroy the
existence of the former emotion; thus an emotion cannot be destroyed nor
controlled except by a contrary and stronger emotion。 Q。E。D。
Corollary。… An emotion; in so far as it is referred to the mind; can
only be controlled or destroyed through an idea of a modification of
the body contrary to; and stronger than; that which we are undergoing。
For the emotion which we undergo can only be checked or destroyed by an
emotion contrary to; and stronger than; itself; in other words; (by the
general Definition of the Emotions) only by an idea of a modification
of the body contrary to; and stronger than; the modification which we
undergo。
Prop。 VIII。 The knowledge of good and evil
is nothing else but the emotions of pleasure
or pain; in so far as we are conscious
thereof。
Proof。… We call a thing good or evil; when it is of service or the
reverse in preserving our being (IV:Def。i。&。ii。); that is (III:vii。);
when it increases or diminishes; helps or hinders; our power of activity。
Thus; in so far as we perceive that a thing affects us with pleasure or
pain; we call it good or evil; wherefore the knowledge of good and evil
is nothing else but the idea of the pleasure or pain; which necessarily
follows from that pleasurable or painful emotion (II:xxii。)。 But this idea
is united to the emotion in the same way as mind is united to body
(II:xxi。); that is; there is no real distinction between this idea and
the emotion or idea of the modification of the body; save in conception
only。 Therefore the knowledge of good and evil is nothing else but the
emotion; in so far as we are conscious thereof。 Q。E。D。
Prop。 IX。 An emotion; whereof we conceive
the cause to be with us at the present time;
is stronger than if we did not conceive the
cause to be with us。
Proof。… Imagination or conception is the idea; by which the mind regards
a thing as present (II:xvii。note); but which indicates the disposition of
the mind rather than the nature of the external thing (II:xvi。Coroll。ii)。
An emotion is therefore a conception; in so far as it indicates the
disposition of the body。 But a conception (by II:xvii。) is stronger;
so long as we conceive nothing which excludes the present existence
of the external object; wherefore an emotion is also stronger or more
intense; when we conceive the cause to be with us at the present time;
than when we do not conceive the cause to be with us。 Q。E。D。
Note。… When I said above in III:xviii。 that we are affected by the image
of what is past or future with the same emotion as if the thing conceived
were present; I expressly stated; that this is only true in so far as we
look solely to the image of the thing in question itself ; for the thing's
nature is unchanged; whether we have conceived it or not; I did not deny
that the image becomes weaker; when we regard as present to us other
things which exclude the present existence of the future object: I did
not expressly call attention to the fact; because I purposed to treat
of the strength of the emotions in this part of my work。
Corollary。… The image of something past or future; that is; of a thing
which we regard as in relation to time past or time future; to the
exclusion of time present; is; when other conditions are equal; weaker
than the image of something present; consequently an emotion felt towards
what is past or future is less intense; other conditions being equal;
than an emotion felt towards something present。
Prop。 X。 Towards something future; which we
conceive as close at hand; we are affected
more intensely; than if we conceive that
its time for existence is separated from
the present by a longer interval; so too
by the remembrance of what we conceive to
have not long passed away we are affected
more intensely; than if we conceive that
it has long passed away。
Proof。… In so far as we conceive a thing as close at hand; or not long
passed away; we conceive that which excludes the presence of the object
less; than if its period of future existence were more distant from the
present; or if it had long passed away (this is obvious) therefore (by the
foregoi