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第8章

the ethics(part v)-第8章

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clearly; we must here call to mind; that we live in a state of perpetual



variation; and; according as we are changed for the better or the worse; we



are called happy or unhappy。







For he; who; from being an infant or a child; becomes a corpse; is called



unhappy; whereas it is set down to happiness; if we have been able to live



through the whole period of life with a sound mind in a sound body。 And; in



reality; he; who; as in the case of an infant or a child; has a body capable



of very few activities; and depending; for the most part; on external



causes; has a mind which; considered in itself alone; is scarcely conscious



of itself; or of God; or of things; whereas; he; who has a body capable of



very many activities; has a mind which; considered in itself alone; is



highly conscious of itself; of God; and of things。 In this life; therefore;



we primarily endeavour to bring it about; that the body of a child; in so



far as its nature allows and conduces thereto; may be changed into something



else capable of very many activities; and referable to a mind which is



highly conscious of itself; of God; and of things; and we desire so to



change it; that what is referred to its imagination and memory may become



insignificant; in comparison with its intellect; as I have already said in



the note to the last Proposition。











Prop。 XL。 In proportion as each thing possesses



more of perfection; so is it more active; and



less passive; and; vice versa; in proportion as



it is more active; so is it more perfect。







Proof。… In proportion as each thing is more perfect; it possesses more of



reality (II:Def。vi。); and; consequently (III:iii。and Note); it is to that



extent more active and less passive。 This demonstration may be reversed; and



thus prove that; in proportion as a thing is more active; so is it more



perfect。 Q。E。D。







Corollary。… Hence it follows that the part of the mind which endures; be it



great or small; is more perfect than the rest。 For the eternal part of the



mind (V:xiii。 and V:xxix。) the understanding; through which alone we are



said to act (III:iii。); the part which we have shown to perish is the



imagination (V:xxi。); through which only we are said to be passive (III:iii。



and general Def。 of the Emotions); therefore; the former; be it great or



small; is more perfect than the latter。 Q。E。D。







Note。… Such are the doctrines which I had purposed to set forth concerning



the mind; in so far as it is regarded without relation to the body; whence;



as also from I:xxi。 and other places; it is plain that our mind; in so far



as it understands; is an eternal mode of thinking; which is determined by



another eternal mode of thinking; and this other by a third; and so on to



infinity; so that all taken together at once constitute the eternal and



infinite intellect of God。











Prop。 XLI。 Even if we did not know that



our mind is eternal; we should still



consider as of primary importance piety



and religion; and generally all things



which; in Part IV。; we showed to be



attributable to courage and high…mindedness。







Proof。… The first and only; foundation of virtue; or the rule of right



living is (IV:xxii。Coroll。 and IV:xxiv。) seeking one's own true interest。



Now; while we determined what reason prescribes as useful; we took no



account of the mind's eternity; which has only become known to us in this



Fifth Part。 Although we were ignorant at that time that the mind is eternal;



we nevertheless stated that the qualities attributable to courage and high…



mindedness are of primary importance。 Therefore; even if we were still



ignorant of this doctrine; we should yet put the aforesaid precepts of



reason in the first place。 Q。E。D。







Note。… The general belief of the multitude seems to be different。 Most



people seem to believe that they are free; in so far as they may obey their



lusts; and that they cede their rights; in so far as they are bound to live



according to the commandments of the divine law。 They therefore believe that



piety; religion; and; generally; all things attributable to firmness of



mind; are burdens; which; after death; they hope to lay aside; and to



receive the reward for their bondage; that is; for their piety; and



religion; it is not only by this hope; but also; and chiefly; by the fear of



being horribly punished after death; that they are induced to live according



to the divine commandments; so far as their feeble and infirm spirit will



carry them。







If men had not this hope and this fear; but believed that the mind perishes



with the body; and that no hope of prolonged life remains for the wretches



who are broken down with the burden of piety; they would return to their own



inclinations; controlling everything in accordance with their lusts; and



desiring to obey fortune rather than themselves。 Such a course appears to me



not less absurd than if a man; because he does not believe that he can by



wholesome food sustain his body for ever; should wish to cram himself with



poisons and deadly fare; or if; because he sees that the mind is not eternal



or immortal; he should prefer to be out of his mind altogether; and to live



without the use of reason; these ideas are so absurd as to be scarcely worth



refuting。











Prop。 XLII。 Blessedness is not the reward of virtue; but virtue



itself ; neither do we rejoice therein; because we control our



lusts; but; contrariwise; because we rejoice therein; we are able



to control our lusts。







Proof。… Blessedness consists in love towards God (V:xxxvi。 and Note); which



love springs from the third kind of knowledge (V:xxxii。Coroll。); therefore



this love (III:iii。 and III:lix。) must be referred to the mind; in so far as



the latter is active; therefore (IV:Def。viii。) it is virtue itself。



This was our first point。 Again; in proportion as the mind rejoices more in



this divine love or blessedness; so does it the more understand (V:xxxii。);



that is (V:iii。Coroll。); so much the more power has it over the emotions;



and (V:xxxviii。) so much the less is it subject to those emotions



which are evil; therefore; in proportion as the mind rejoices in this divine



love or blessedness; so has it the power of controlling lusts。 And; since



human power in controlling the emotions consists solely in the



understanding; it follows that no one rejoices in blessedness; because he



has controlled his lusts; but; contrariwise; his power of controlling his



lusts arises from this blessedness itself。 Q。E。D。







Note。… I have thus completed all I wished to set forth touching the mind's



power over the emotions and the mind's freedom。 Whence it appears; how



potent is the wise man; and how much he surpasses the ignorant man; who is



driven only by his lusts。 For the ignorant man is not only distracted in



various ways by external causes without ever gaining; the true acquiescence



of his spirit; but moreover lives; as it were unwitting of himself; and of



God; and of things; and as soon as he ceases to suffer; ceases also to be。







Whereas the wise man; in so far as he is regarded as such; is scarcely at



all disturbed in spirit; but; being conscious of himself; and of God; and of



things; by a certain eternal necessity; never ceases to be; but always



possesses true acquiescence of his spirit。







If the way which I have pointed out as leading to this result seems



exceedingly hard; it may nevertheless be discovered。 Needs must it be hard;



since it is so seldom  found。 How would it be possible; if salvation were



ready to our hand; and could without great labour be found; that it should



be by almost all men neglected? But all things excellent are as



difficult as they are rare。























End of Part V。




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