Ethics — Part 2

Benedictus de SpinozaProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.5

Word count: 99K words
Chapters: 10

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Ethics — Part 2 by Benedictus de SpinozaAuthor: Spinoza, Benedictus de, 1632-1677,Language: English, Class: B: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion, Release Date: May 1, 1997

Editor's review

This is Part 2 of Spinoza's Ethics, focusing on the nature of the mind and its relation to the body, a key link for understanding his philosophical system as a whole. The text unfolds through geometrical propositions, proofs, and corollaries; the argument is rigorous and conceptually dense, and readers need some philosophical training to follow it smoothly. Part 2 continues Part 1's discussion of God and further addresses the foundations of cognition and the emotions, exerting a profound influence on later philosophical history. The public-domain English text provided by Project Gutenberg is convenient for consultation and comparison at any time, but it lacks modern translation notes and an introduction, so secondary research materials should be used alongside it. It is suitable as a close-reading text for philosophy students or serious self-learners, not as light introductory reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Philosophy students or readers studying the history of Western philosophy
Serious self-learners with a systematic reading plan for Spinoza's system
Researchers who need a public-domain English text for comparison and citation
Readers who have finished Part 1 of Ethics and wish to go further

Not a good fit for

General casual readers with no philosophical background
Beginners looking for a concise introduction to philosophy
Readers expecting a narrative or literary reading experience

Reading tips

Be sure to read Part 1 first; otherwise the conceptual chain of Part 2 is hard to follow.
Keep pen and paper ready to map the derivations among propositions, reading proposition by proposition rather than skipping.
Pair it with a history of philosophy or a research guide to help understand the period meaning of the terms.
Slow down when the argument becomes dense, and summarize after finishing each group of propositions.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Can I start directly with Part 2?

Not recommended. Part 2 builds on Part 1's discussion of God and substance; its concepts and premises rest on the earlier text. Starting directly with Part 2 makes it easy to lose the thread of the argument, so reading in order is best.

Why is it written in geometrical form?

Spinoza uses propositions, proofs, and corollaries, imitating the deductive structure of geometry in order to make philosophical argument as rigorous as mathematics. This makes the text logically clear but slow-paced, requiring readers to follow it proposition by proposition.

Is this public-domain edition suitable for beginners?

Not very. This edition has no modern introduction or annotations, so readers must supply the background of terms and arguments themselves. Beginners are advised to read the relevant chapters in a history of philosophy or an annotated research edition first, then return to the original text.

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About the author

Benedictus de Spinoza Author · Dutch · 1632–1677

Benedictus de Spinoza (1632–1677) was a Dutch Jewish philosopher and a leading figure of seventeenth-century rationalism. Born in Amsterdam, he was expelled from the Jewish community for heterodox views and afterward made his living as a lens grinder. His major work, Ethics, proceeds through definitions, axioms, and propositions in geometric order; its style is rigorous and restrained, seeking to derive human emotions, freedom, and the highest good by reason. On the Improvement of the Understanding examines the method of knowledge and the perfection of the mind. The library holds eleven of his works, mostly parts of Ethics and that methodological treatise. He advanced substance monism and pantheism, identifying God with nature, and deeply influenced later philosophy.