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第56章

history of philosophy-第56章

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19。 Cartes。 Resp。 ad sec。 obj。: Rat。 more geom。 disp。; Ax。 III…VI。; X。; Prop。 I。 pp。 88; 89 (pp。
458…461); Spinoza: Princ。 phil。 Cart。; pp。 14…17。
20。 Spinoza: Princip。 philos。 Cart。; p。 20; Cartesii Resp。 ad sec。 obj。: Rat。 more geom。 dispos。;
Propos。 II。 p。 89 ) pp。 461; 462)。
21。 Cartes。 Principia philosophi?; P。 I。 § 15; 16; 18; 24; pp。 4; 5; 7 (pp。 73…75; 78; 79)。
22。 Cartes。 Principia philosophi?; P。 I。 § 24…26; p。 7 (pp。 79; 80)。
23。 Ibid。 P。 I。 § 29; 30; 35; 36; 38; 43; pp。 8…11 (pp。 81…86; 89); Meditationes; IV。 pp。 25; 26
(pp。 293…297)。
24。 In the Lectures of 1829…1830 the philosophy of Malebranche is inserted here。 (Editor's note)。
25。 Cartes。 Principia philos。 P。 I。 § 22; 23; pp。 6; 7 (pp。 77; 78); Responsiones quart?; p。 133
(p。 70); Spinoza: Princip。 philos。 Cart。 pp。 30; 31; 36; 38; Buhle: Geschichte der neuern
Philosophie; Vol。 III。 Sec。 I。 pp。 17; 18。
26。 Cartes。 Principia philos。 P。 I。 § 48; p。 12 (p。 92); Meditationes; III。 p。 17 (pp。 268; 269)。
27。 Cartes。 Principia philosophi?。 P。 I。 § 49; p。 13 (p。 93)。
28。 Ibid。 P。 I。 § 48; p。 12 (p。 92)。
29。 Cartes。 Princip。 philosophi?; P。 I。 § 51; p。 14 (p。 95)。
30。 Cartes。 Principia philosophi?; P。 I。 § 53; 54; p。 14 (pp。 96; 97)。
31。 Cartes。 Princip。 philos。; P。 I。 § 66…74; pp。 19…22 (pp。 107…117); P。 II § 4; p。 25 (pp。
123;124)。
32。 Cartes。 Prineipia philos。 P。 II。 § 16; 20; 37; 38; pp。 29…31; 38; 39 (pp。 133; 134; 137; 138;
152…154)。
33。 Cartes。 Princip。 philos。; P。 I。 § 66…74; pp。 19…22 (pp。 107…117); P。 II § 4; p。 25 (pp。
123;124)。
34。 Cf。 Cartes。 Principia philos。; P。 II。 § 64; p。 49 (pp。 178; 179)。
35。 Cartes。 Principia philos。; P。 III。 § 5…42; 46 sqq。 pp。 51…63; 65 sqq。 (pp。 183…208; p。 210 et
suiv。); P。 IV。 § 1 sqq。; 69; 109…115; p。 137 sqq。; 116; 178…180 (p。 330 et suiv。; 388;
420…425)。
36。 Cartes。 Principia philosoph。; P。 I。 § 37; 39…41; pp。 10; 11 (pp。 85…88)。
37。 Cartes。 De Methodo。 V。 pp。 35; 36 (pp。 185…189)。
38。 Cartes。 De Methodo。 V。 p。 29 (173; 174)。





Section Two: Period of the Thinking Understanding
              Chapter I。 — The Metaphysics of the Understanding
                          A 2。 SPINOZA

The philosophy of Descartes underwent a great variety of unspeculative developments; but in
Benedict Spinoza a direct successor to this philosopher may be found; and one who carried on the
Cartesian principle to its furthest logical conclusions。 For him soul and body; thought and Being;
cease to have separate independent existence。 The dualism of the Cartesian system Spinoza; as a
Jew; altogether set aside。 For the profound unity of his philosophy as it found expression in
Europe; his manifestation of Spirit as the identity of the finite and the infinite in God; instead of
God's appearing related to these as a Third — all this is an echo from Eastern lands。 The Oriental
theory of absolute identity was brought by Spinoza much more directly into line; firstly with the
current of European thought; and then with the European and Cartesian philosophy; in which it
soon found a place。

First of all we must; however; glance at the circumstances of Spinoza's life。 He was by descent a
Portuguese Jew; and was born at Amsterdam in the year 1632; the name he received was Baruch;
but he altered it to Benedict。 In his youth he was instructed by the Rabbis of the synagogue to
which he belonged; but he soon fell out with them; their wrath having been kindled by the
criticisms which he passed on the fantastic doctrines of the Talmud。 He was not; therefore; long in
absenting himself from the synagogue; and as the Rabbis were in dread lest his example should
have evil consequences; they offered him a yearly allowance of a thousand gulden if he would
keep away from the place and hold his tongue。 This offer he declined; and the Rabbis thereafter
carried their persecution of him to such a pitch that they were even minded to rid themselves of
him by assassination。 After having made a narrow escape from the dagger; he formally withdrew
from the Jewish communion; without; however; going over to the Christian Church。 He now
applied himself particularly to the Latin language; and made a special study of the Cartesian
philosophy。 Later on he went to Rhynsburg; near Leyden; and from the year 1664 he lived in
retirement; first at Voorburg; a village near the Hague; and then at the Hague itself; highly
respected by numerous friends: he gained a livelihood for himself by grinding optical glasses。 It
was no arbitrary choice that led him to occupy himself with light; for it represents in the material
sphere the absolute identity which forms the foundation of the Oriental view of things。 Although he
had rich friends and mighty protectors; among whom even generals were numbered; he lived in
humble poverty; declining the handsome gifts offered to him time after time。 Nor would he permit
Simon von Vries to make him his heir; he only accepted from him an annual pension of three
hundred florins; in the same way he gave up to his sisters his share of their father's estate。 From the
Elector Palatine; Carl Ludwig; a man of most noble character and raised above the prejudices of
his time; he received the offer of a professor's chair at Heidelberg; with the assurance that he
would have liberty to teach and to write; because “the Prince believed he would not put that
liberty to a bad use by interfering with the religion publicly established。” Spinoza (in his published
letters) very wisely declined this offer; however; because “he did not know within what limits that
philosophic liberty would have to be confined; in order that he might not appear to be interfering
with the publicly established religion。” He remained in Holland; a country highly interesting in the
history of general culture; as it was the first in Europe to show the; example of universal toleration;
and afforded to many a place of refuge where they might enjoy liberty of thought; for fierce as was
the rage of the theologians there against Bekker; for example (Bruck。 Hist。 crit。 phil。 T。 IV。 P。 2;
pp。 719; 720); and furious as were the attacks of Voetius on the Cartesian philosophy; these had
not the consequences which they would have had in another land。 Spinoza died on the 21st of
February; 1677; in the forty…fourth year of his age。 The cause of his death was consumption; from
which he had long been a sufferer; this was in harmony with his system of philosophy; according to
which all particularity and individuality pass away in the one substance。 A Protestant divine;
Colerus by name; who published a biography of Spinoza; inveighs strongly against him; it is true;
but gives nevertheless a most minute and kindly description of his circumstances and surroundings
— telling how he left only about two hundred thalers; what debts he had; and so on。 A bill included
in the inventory; in which the barber requests payment due him by M。 Spinoza of blessed memory;
scandalizes the parson very much; and regarding it he makes the observation: “Had the barber but
known what sort of a creature Spinoza was; he certainly would not have spoken of his blessed
memory。” The German translator of this biography writes under the portrait of Spinoza:
characterem reprobationis in vultu gerens; applying this description to a countenance which
doubtless expresses the melancholy of a profound thinker; but is otherwise wild and benevolent。
The reprobatio is certainly correct; but it is not a reprobation in the passive sense; it is an active
disapprobation on Spinoza's part of the opinions; errors and thoughtless passions of mankind。(1)

Spinoza used the terminology of Descartes; and also published an account of his system。 For we
find the first of Spinoza's works entitled “An Exposition according to the geometrical method of
the principles of the Cartesian philosophy。” Some time after this he wrote his Tractatus
theologico…politicus; and by it gained considerable reputation。 Great as was the hatred which
Spinoza roused amongst his Rabbis; it was more than equalled by the odium which he brought
upon himself amongst Christian; and especially amongst Protestant theologians — chiefly through
the medium of this essay。 It contains his views o

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