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the ethics(part iii)-第4部分
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constrained (cf。 III。 xii。 Proof); nevertheless it will continue to
conceive it; until the mind conceives something else; which excludes
the present existence thereof (II。 xvii。); that is (as I have just shown);
the power of the mind and of the body is diminished; or constrained;
until the mind conceives something else; which excludes the
existence of the former thing conceived: therefore the mind (III。 ix。);
as far as it can; will endeavour to conceive or remember the latter。
Q。E。D。
ProofIf the human body has once been affected by two
bodies at once; whenever afterwards the mind conceives one of
them; it will straightway remember the other also (II。 xviii。)。 But
the mind's conceptions indicate rather the emotions of our body
than the nature of external bodies (II。 xvi。 Cor。 ii。); therefore; if
the body; and consequently the mind (III。 Def。 iii。) has been once
affected by two emotions at the same time; it will; whenever it is
afterwards affected by one of the two; be also affected by the
other。
XV。 Anything can; accidentally; be the cause of pleasure; pain;
or desire。
》》》》》ProofLet it be granted that the mind is simultaneously
affected by two emotions; of which one neither increases nor
diminishes its power of activity; and the other does either increase
or diminish the said power (III。 Post。 i。)。 From the foregoing
proposition it is evident that; whenever the mind is afterwards
affected by the former; through its true cause; which (by hypothesis)
neither increases nor diminishes its power of action; it will be at
the same time affected by the latter; which does increase or
diminish its power of activity; that is (III。 xi。 note) it will be affected
with pleasure or pain。 Thus the former of the two emotions will;
not through itself; but accidentally; be the cause of pleasure or
pain。 In the same way also it can be easily shown; that a thing
may be accidentally the cause of desire。 Q。E。D。
ProofFor from this fact alone it arises (III。 xiv。); that
the mind afterwards conceiving the said thing is affected with the
emotion of pleasure or pain; that is (III。 xi。 note); according as
the power of the mind and body may be increased or diminished;
&c。; and consequently (III。 xii。); according as the mind may
desire or shrink from the conception of it (III。 xiii。 Cor。); in other
words (III。 xiii。 note); according as it may love or hate the same。
Q。E。D。
*****NoteHence we understand how it may happen; that we
love or hate a thing without any cause for our emotion being known
to us; merely; as a phrase is; from 〃sympathy〃 or 〃antipathy。〃 We
should refer to the same category those objects; which affect us
pleasurably or painfully; simply because they resemble other
objects which affect us in the same way。 This I will show in the
next Prop。 I am aware that certain authors; who were the first to
introduce these terms 〃sympathy〃 and 〃antipathy;〃 wished to signify
thereby some occult qualities in things; nevertheless I think we may
be permitted to use the same terms to indicate known or manifest
qualities。
XVI。 Simply from the fact that we conceive; that a given object
has some point of resemblance with another object which is wont
to affect the mind pleasurably or painfully; although the point of
resemblance be not the efficient cause of the said emotions; we
shall still regard the first…named object with love or hate。
》》》》》ProofThe point of resemblance was in the object (by
hypothesis); when we regarded it with pleasure or pain; thus
(III。 xiv。); when the mind is affected by the image thereof; it will
straightway be affected by one or the other emotion; and
consequently the thing; which we perceive to have the same point
of resemblance; will be accidentally (III。 xv。) a cause of pleasure
or pain。 Thus (by the foregoing Corollary); although the point
in which the two objects resemble one another be not the
efficient cause of the emotion; we shall still regard the first…named
object with love or hate。 Q。E。D。
XVII。 If we conceive that a thing; which is wont to affect us
painfully; has any point of resemblance with another thing which
is wont to affect us with an equally strong emotion of pleasure;
we shall hate the first…named thing; and at the same time we shall
love it。
》》》》》ProofThe given thing is (by hypothesis) in itself a cause
of pain; and (III。 xiii。 note); in so far as we imagine it with this
emotion; we shall hate it: further; inasmuch as we conceive that
it has some point of resemblance to something else; which is wont
to affect us with an equally strong emotion of pleasure; we shall
with an equally strong impulse of pleasure love it (III。 xvi。); thus
we shall both hate and love the same thing。 Q。E。D。
*****NoteThis disposition of the mind; which arises from two
contrary emotions; is called 〃vacillation〃; it stands to the emotions
in the same relation as doubt does to the imagination (II。 xliv。 note);
vacillation and doubt do not differ one from the other; except as
greater differs from less。 But we must bear in mind that I have
deduced this vacillation from causes; which give rise through
themselves to one of the emotions; and to the other accidentally。
I have done this; in order that they might be more easily deduced
from what went before; but I do not deny that vacillation of the
disposition generally arises from an object; which is the efficient
cause of both emotions。 The human body is composed
(II。 Post。 i。) of a variety of individual parts of different nature;
and may therefore (Ax。 i。 after Lemma iii。 after II。 xiii。) be
affected in a variety of different ways by one and the same body;
and contrariwise; as one and the same thing can be affected in
many ways; it can also in many different ways affect one and
the same part of the body。 Hence we can easily conceive; that
one and the same object may be the cause of many and
conflicting emotions。
XVIII。 A man is as much affected pleasurably or painfully
by the image of a thing past or future as by the image of a thing
present。
》》》》》ProofSo long as a man is affected by the image of
anything; he will regard that thing as present; even though it be
non…existent (II。 xvii。 and Cor。); he will not conceive it as past
or future; except in so far as its image is joined to the image
of time past or future (II。 xliv。 note)。 Wherefore the image of
a thing; regarded in itself alone; is identical; whether it be referred
to time past; time future; or time present; that is (II。 xvi。 Cor。); the
disposition or emotion of the body is identical; whether the image
be of a thing past or future。 Q。E。D。
*****Note I。I call a thing past or future; according as we either
have been or shall be affected thereby。 For instance; according
as we have seen it; or are about to see it; according as it has
recreated us; or will recreate us; according as it has harmed us;
or will harm us。 For; as we thus conceive it; we affirm its
existence; that is; the body is affected by no emotion which
excludes the existence of the thing; and therefore (II。 xvii。) the
body is affected by the image of the thing; in the same way as if
the thing were actually present。 However; as it generally happens
that those; who have had many experiences; vacillate; so long as
they regard a thing as future or past; and are usually in doubt about
its issue (II。 xliv。 note); it follows that the emotions which arise from
similar images of things are not so constant; but are generally
disturbed by the images of other things; until men become assured
of the issue。
*****Note II。From what has just been said; we understand what
is meant by the terms Hope; Fear; Confidence; Despair; Joy; and
Disappointment。 〃Hope〃 is nothing else but 〃an inconstant pleasure;
arising from the image of something future or past; whereof we do
not yet know the issue。〃 〃Fear;〃 on the other hand; is 〃an inconstant
pain also arising from the image of something concerning which we
are in doubt。〃 If the element of doubt be removed from these
emotions; hope becomes 〃Confidence〃 and fear becomes 〃Despair。〃
In other words; 〃Pleasure or Pain arising from the image of
something concerning which we have hoped or feared。〃 Again;
〃Joy〃 is 〃Pleasure arising from t
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