Baruch Spinoza
Baruch Spinoza
Baruch Spinozawas a Dutch philosopher of Sephardi/Portuguese origin. By laying the groundwork for the 18th-century Enlightenment and modern biblical criticism, including modern conceptions of the self and the universe, he came to be considered one of the great rationalists of 17th-century philosophy...
NationalityDutch
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth24 November 1632
Whatsoever is, is in God.
men law finals
Since love of God is the highest felicity and happiness of man, his final end and the aim of all his actions, it follows that he alone observes the divine law who is concerned to love God not from fear of punishment nor love of something else, such as pleasure, fame, ect., but from the single fact that he knows God, or that he knows that the knowledge and love of God is the highest good
government freedom-of-speech sound
The more a government strives to curtail freedom of speech, the more obstinately is it resisted ; not indeed by the avaricious, ... but by those whom good education, sound morality, and virtue have rendered more free.
men offers
Nature offers nothing that can be called this man's rather than another's; but under nature everything belongs to all.
superstitions
Superstition, then, is engendered, preserved, and fostered by fear.
order mind function
. . . to know the order of nature, and regard the universe as orderly is the highest function of the mind.
our-actions guidance reason
In proportion as we endeavor to live according to the guidance of reason, shall we strive as much as possible to depend less on hope, to liberate ourselves from fear, to rule fortune, and to direct our actions by the sure counsels of reason.
life hands hatred
Hatred is increased by being reciprocated, and can on the other hand be destroyed by love.
ignorance superstitions latter
I make this chief distinction between religion and superstition, that the latter is founded on ignorance, the former on knowledge.
fighting men deception
The supreme mystery of despotism, its prop and stay, is to keep men in a state of deception, and with the specious title of religion to cloak the fear by which they must be held in check, so that they will fight for their servitude as if for salvation.
mind perceive greater
The less the mind understands and the more things it perceives, the greater its power of feigning is; and the more things it understands, the more that power is diminished.
evil causes omen
Things which are accidentally the causes either of hope or fear are called good or evil omens.
littles satisfied ifs
Nature is satisfied with little; and if she is, I am also.
communication sadness joy
We strive to further the occurrence of whatever we imagine will lead to Joy, and to avert or destroy what we imagine is contrary to it, or will lead to Sadness.