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the ethics(part iii)-第3部分
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of the thing; but does not take it away。 So long therefore as
we regard only the thing itself; without taking into account
external causes; we shall not be able to find in it anything
which could destroy it。 Q。E。D。
V。 Things are naturally contrary; that is; cannot exist in the same
object; in so far as one is capable of destroying the other。
》》》》》ProofIf they could agree together or co…exist in the same
object; there would then be in the said object something which
could destroy it; but this; by the foregoing proposition; is absurd;
therefore things; &c。 Q。E。D。
VI。 Everything; in so far as it is in itself; endeavours to persist in
its own being。
》》》》》ProofIndividual things are modes whereby the
attributes of God are expressed in a given determinate manner
(I。 xxv。Cor。); that is; (I。 xxxiv。); they are things which express
in a given determinate manner the power of God; whereby
God is and acts; now no thing contains in itself anything
whereby it can be destroyed; or which can take away its
existence (III。 iv。); but contrariwise it is opposed to all that
could take away its existence (III。 v。)。 Therefore; in so far as
it can; and in so far as it is in itself; it endeavours to persist
in its own being。 Q。E。D。
VII。 The endeavour; wherewith everything endeavours to
persist in its own being; is nothing else but the actual essence
of the thing in question。
》》》》》ProofFrom the given essence of any thing certain
consequences necessarily follow (I。 xxxvi。); nor have things any
power save such as necessarily follows from their nature as
determined (I。 xxix。); wherefore the power of any given thing;
or the endeavour whereby; either alone or with other things;
it acts; or endeavours to act; that is (III。 vi。); the power or
endeavour; wherewith it endeavours to persist in its own being;
is nothing else but the given or actual essence of the thing in
question。 Q。E。D。
VIII。 The endeavour; whereby a thing endeavours to persist
in its own being; involves no finite time; but an indefinite time。
》》》》》ProofIf it involved a limited time; which should determine
the duration of the thing; it would then follow solely from that
power whereby the thing exists; that the thing could not exist
beyond the limits of that time; but that it must be destroyed; but
this (III。 iv。) is absurd。 Wherefore the endeavour wherewith a
thing exists involves no definite time; but; contrariwise; since
(III。 iv。) it will by the same power whereby it already exists
always continue to exist; unless it be destroyed by some external
cause; this endeavour involves an indefinite time。
IX。 The mind; both in so far as it has clear and distinct ideas; and
also in so far as it has confused ideas; endeavours to persist in its
being for an indefinite period; and of this endeavour it is conscious。
》》》》》ProofThe essence of the mind is constituted by adequate
and inadequate ideas (III。 iii。); therefore (III。 vii。); both in so far
as it possesses the former; and in so far as it possesses the latter;
it endeavours to persist in its own being; and that for an indefinite
time (III。 viii。)。 Now as the mind (II。 xxiii。) is necessarily conscious
of itself through the ideas of the modifications of the body; the mind
is therefore (III。 vii。) conscious of its own endeavour。
*****NoteThis endeavour; when referred solely to the mind; is
called 〃will;〃 when referred to the mind and body in conjunction it
is called 〃appetite〃; it is; in fact; nothing else but man's essence;
from the nature of which necessarily follow all those results which
tend to its preservation; and which man has thus been determined
to perform。
Further; between appetite and desire there is no difference; except
that the term desire is generally applied to men; in so far as they
are conscious of their appetite; and may accordingly be thus defined:
〃Desire is appetite with consciousness thereof。〃 It is thus plain from
what has been said; that in no case do we strive for; wish for; long
for; or desire anything; because we deem it to be good; but on the
other hand we deem a thing to be good; because we strive for it;
wish for it; long for it; or desire it。
X。 An idea; which excludes the existence of our body; cannot be
postulated in our mind; but is contrary thereto。
》》》》》ProofWhatsoever can destroy our body; cannot be
postulated therein (III。 v。)。 Therefore neither can the idea of such
a thing occur in God; in so far as he has the idea of our body (II。 ix。
Cor。); that is (II。 xi。; xiii。); the idea of that thing cannot be postulated
as in our mind; but contrariwise; since (II。 xi。; xiii。) the first element;
that constitutes the essence of the mind; is the idea of the human
body as actually existing; it follows that the first and chief endeavour
of our mind is the endeavour to affirm the existence of our body:
thus; an idea; which negatives the existence of our body; is contrary
to our mind; &c。 Q。E。D。
XI。 Whatsoever increases or diminishes; helps or hinders the power
of activity in our body; the idea thereof increases or diminishes; helps
or hinders the power of thought in our mind。
》》》》》ProofThis proposition is evident from II。 vii。 or from II。 xiv。
*****NoteThus we see; that the mind can undergo many changes;
and can pass sometimes to a state of greater perfection; sometimes
to a state of lesser perfection。 These passive states of transition
explain to us the emotions of pleasure and pain。 By 〃pleasure〃
therefore in the following propositions I shall signify 〃a passive state
wherein the mind passes to a greater perfection。〃 By 〃pain〃 I shall
signify 〃a passive state wherein the mind passes to a lesser perfection。〃
Further; the emotion of pleasure in reference to the body and mind
together I shall call 〃stimulation〃 (titillatio) or 〃merriment〃 (hilaritas);
the emotion of pain in the same relation I shall call 〃suffering〃 or
〃melancholy。〃 But we must bear in mind; that stimulation and
suffering are attributed to man; when one part of his nature is more
affected than the rest; merriment and melancholy; when all parts
are alike affected。 What I mean by desire I have explained in the
note to Prop。 ix。 of this part; beyond these three I recognize no
other primary emotion; I will show as I proceed; that all other
emotions arise from these three。 But; before I go further; I should
like here to explain at greater length Prop。 x。 of this part; in order
that we may clearly understand how one idea is contrary to another。
In the note to II。 xvii。 we showed that the idea; which constitutes
the essence of mind; involves the existence of body; so long as
the body itself exists。 Again; it follows from what we pointed out
in the Corollary to II。 viii。; that the present existence of our mind
depends solely on the fact; that the mind involves the actual
existence of the body。 Lastly; we showed (II。 xvii。; xviii。 and
Note) that the power of the mind; whereby it imagines and
remembers things; also depends on the fact; that it involves the
actual existence of the body。 Whence it follows; that the present
existence of the mind and its power of imagining are removed;
as soon as the mind ceases to affirm the present existence of the
body。 Now the cause; why the mind ceases to affirm this
existence of the body; cannot be the mind itself (III。 iv。); nor
again the fact that the body ceases to exist。 For (by II。 vi。)
the cause; why the mind affirms the existence of the body;
is not that the body began to exist; therefore; for the same
reason; it does not cease to affirm the existence of the body;
because the body ceases to exist; but (II。 xvii。) this result
follows from another idea; which excludes the present
existence of our body and; consequently; of our mind; and
which is therefore contrary to the idea constituting the essence
of our mind。
XII。 The mind; as far as it can; endeavours to conceive those
things; which increase or help the power of activity in the body。
》》》》》ProofSo long as the human body is affected in a mode;
which involves the nature of any external body; the human mind
will regard that external body as present (II。 xvii。); and consequently
(II。 vii。); so long as the human mind regards an external body as
present; that is (II。 xvii。 Note); conceives it; the human body is
affected in a mode; which involves the nature of the said external
body; thus so long as the mind conceives things; which increase
or help the power of activity in our body; the body is affected in
modes which increase or help its power of activity (III。 Post。 i。);
consequently (III。 xi。) the mind's power of thinking is for that
period increased or helped。 Thus (III。 vi。; ix。) the mind; as far
as it can; endeavours to imagine such things。 Q。E。D。
XIII。 When the mind conceives things which diminish or hinder the
body's power of activity; it endeavours; as far as possible; to
remember things which exclude the existence of the first…named
things。
》》》》》ProofSo long as the mind conceives anything of the kind
alluded to; the power of the mind and body is diminished or
constrained (cf。 III。 xii。 Proof); nevertheless it will continue to
conceive it; until the mind conceives something else; which excl
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