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the ethics(part iv)-第7部分
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each follower of virtue seeks for himself; he will desire also for others。
Again; desire; in so far as it is referred to the mind; is the very
essence of the mind (Def。 of the Emotions; i。); now the essence of the
mind consists in knowledge (III:xi。); which involves the knowledge of God
(II:xlvii。); and without it (I:xv。); can neither be; nor be conceived;
therefore; in proportion as the mind's essence involves a greater knowledge
of God; so also will be greater the desire of the follower of virtue; that
other men should possess that which he seeks as good for himself。 Q。E。D。
Another Proof。… The good; which a man desires for himself and loves; he
will love more constantly; if he sees that others love it also (III:xxxi。);
he will therefore endeavour that others should love it also; and as the
good in question is common to all; and therefore all can rejoice therein;
he will endeavour; for the same reason; to bring about that all should
rejoice therein; and this he will do the more (III:xxxvii。); in proportion
as his own enjoyment of the good is greater。
Note 1… He who; guided by emotion only; endeavours to cause others to love
what he loves himself; and to make the rest of the world live according to
his own fancy; acts solely by impulse; and is; therefore; hateful;
especially; to those who take delight in something different; and
accordingly study and; by similar impulse; endeavour; to make men live in
accordance with what pleases themselves。 Again; as the highest good sought
by men under the guidance of emotion is often such; that it can only be
possessed by a single individual; it follows that those who love it are not
consistent in their intentions; but; while they delight to sing its praises;
fear to be believed。 But he; who endeavours to lead men by reason; does not
act by impulse but courteously and kindly; and his intention is always
consistent。 Again; whatsoever we desire and do; whereof we are the cause
in so far as we possess the idea of God; or know God; I set down to
Religion。 The desire of well…doing; which is engendered by a life
according to reason; I call piety。 Further; the desire; whereby a
man living according to reason is bound to associate others with
himself in friendship; I call honour (Honestas); by honourable I mean
that which is praised by men living according to reason; and by base
I mean that which is repugnant to the gaining of friendship。 I have also
shown in addition what are the foundations of a state; and the difference
between true ;virtue and infirmity may be readily gathered from what I
have said; namely; that true virtue is nothing else but living in
accordance with reason; while infirmity is nothing else but man's
allowing himself to be led by things which are external to himself;
and to be by them determined to act in a manner demanded by the general
disposition of things rather than by his own nature considered solely
in itself。
Such are the matters which I engaged to prove in IV:xviii。; whereby it
is plain that the law against the slaughtering of animals is founded rather
on vain superstition and womanish pity than on sound reason。 The rational
quest of what is useful to us further teaches us the necessity of
associating ourselves with our fellow men; but … not with beasts; or things;
whose nature is different from our own; we have the same rights in respect
to them as they have in respect to us。 Nay; as everyone's right is defined
by his virtue; or power; men have far greater rights over beasts than
beasts have over men。 Still I do not deny that beasts feel: what I deny is;
that we may not consult our own advantage and use them as we please;
treating them in the way which best suits us; for their nature is not like
ours; and their emotions are naturally different from human emotions
(III:Ivii。Note)。 It remains for me to explain what I mean by; just and
unjust; sin and merit。 On these points see the following note。
Note II。… In the Appendix to Part I。 I undertook to explain praise and
blame; merit and sin; justice and injustice。
Concerning praise and blame I have spoken in III:xxix。Note: the time
has now come to treat of the remaining terms。 But I must first say a few
words concerning man in the state of nature and in society。
Every man exists by sovereign natural right; and; consequently; by
sovereign natural right performs those actions which follow from the
necessity of his own nature; therefore by sovereign natural right every man
judges what is good and what is bad; takes care of his own advantage
according to his own disposition (IV:xix。 and IV:xx。); avenges the wrongs
done to him (III:xl。Coroll。 ii。); and endeavours to preserve that which he
loves and to destroy … that which he hates (III:xxviii。)。 Now; if men lived
under the guidance of reason; everyone would remain in possession of this
his right; without any injury being done to his neighbour V:xxxv。Coroll。i。)。
But seeing that they are a prey to their emotions; which far surpass human
power or virtue (IV:vi。); they are often drawn in different directions; and
being at variance one with another (IV:xxxiii。; xxxiv。); stand in need of
mutual help (IV:xxxv。Note)。 Wherefore; in order that men may live together
in harmony; and may aid one another; it is necessary that they should
forego their natural right; and; for the sake of security; refrain from
all actions which can injure their fellow…men。 The way in which this end
can be obtained; so that men who are necessarily a prey to their emotions
(IV:iv。Coroll。); inconstant; and diverse; should be able to render each
other mutually secure; and feel mutual trust; is evident from IV:vii。 and
III:xxxix。 It is there shown; that an emotion can only be restrained by an
emotion stronger than; and contrary to itself; and that men avoid inflicting
injury through fear of incurring a greater injury themselves。
On this law society can be established; so long as it keeps in its own
hand the right; possessed by everyone; of avenging injury; and pronouncing
on good and evil; and provided it also possesses the power to lay down a
general rule of conduct; and to pass laws sanctioned; not by reason; which
is powerless in restraining emotion; but by threats (IV:xvii。Note)。 Such a
society established with laws and the power of preserving itself is called
a State; while those who live under its protection are called citizens。 We
may readily understand that there is in the state of nature nothing; which
by universal consent is pronounced good or bad; for in the state of nature
everyone thinks solely of his own advantage; and according to his
disposition; with reference only to his individual advantage; decides
what is good or bad; being bound by no law to anyone besides himself。
In the state of nature; therefore; sin is inconceivable; it can only
exist in a state; where good and evil are pronounced on by common consent;
and where everyone is bound to obey the State authority。 Sin; then;
is nothing else but disobedience; which is therefore punished by the right
of the State only。 Obedience; on the other hand; is set down as merit;
inasmuch as a man is thought worthy of merit; if he takes delight in the
advantages which a State provides。
Again; in the state of nature; no one is by common consent master of
anything; nor is there anything in nature; which can be said to belong to
one man rather than another: all things are common to all。 Hence; in the
state of nature; we can conceive no wish to render to every man his own;
or to deprive a man of that which belongs to him; in other words; there is
nothing in the state of nature answering to justice and injustice。 Such
ideas are only possible in a social state; when it is decreed by common
consent what belongs to one man and what to another。
From all these considerations it is evident; that justice and
injustice; sin and merit; are extrinsic ideas; and not attributes which
display the nature of the mind。 But I have said enough。
Prop。 XXXVIII。 Whatsoever disposes the human
body; so as to render it capable of being
affected in an increased number of ways; or
of affecting external bodies in an increased
number of ways; is useful to man ; and is so;
in proportion as the body is thereby rendered
more capable of being affected or affecting
other bodies in an increased number of ways;
contrariwise; whatsoever renders the body less
capable in this respect is hurtful to man。
Proof。… Whatsoever thus increases the capabilities of the body increases
also the mind's capability of perception (II:xiv。); therefore; whatsoever
thus disposes the body and thus renders it capable; is necessarily good or
useful (IV:xxvi。; IV:xxvii。); and is so in proportion to the extent to
which it can render the body capable; contrariwise (II:xiv。; IV:xxvi。;
IV:xxvii。); it is hurtful; if it renders the body in this respect less
capable。 Q。E。D。
Prop。 XXXIX。 Whatsoever brings about
the preservation of the proportion of
motion and rest; which the parts of
the human body mutually possess; is
good; contrariwise; whatsoever causes
a change in such proportion is bad。
Proof。… The human body needs many other bodies for its preservation
(II:Post。iv。)。 But that which constitutes the specific reality (forma)
of a human body is; that its parts communicate their several motions
one to another in a certain fixed proportion (Def。 before Lemma iv。 after
II:xiii。)。 Therefore; whatsoever brings about the preservat
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