The Rationalists: Spinoza
Substance, Nature and God
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
1
Outline
1. Introduction: Spinoza, Life and Work
2. The Geometrical Method
3. Basic Metaphysics: Substance, Nature and God
4. Conclusion
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Montana
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Spinoza: Life and Works
Spinoza:
- 1632: born, Amsterdam – Jewish Portuguese Modest
- 1656 excommunicated – 1660 expelled: religious views
- Secluded life (lenses)
- 1677 dies La Hague
Work:
- Published in his own name: Descartes’ Principles of
Philosophy
- Everything else: anonymous or posthumous, including the
Ethics
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Montana
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Spinoza : Background and Aims
Intellectual Background: Descartes
- Takes: Rationalism, new science and rigor of reasoning
- Rejects: method, dualism, philosophy of human nature
Ethics:
- Abstract, geometrical order
- Entirely oriented toward ethics of well being and joy
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Outline
1. Introduction: Spinoza, Life and Works
2. The Geometrical Method
3. Basic Metaphysics: Substance, Nature and God
4. Conclusion
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Montana
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The Geometrical Order
What is the geometrical order:
- Euclid’s Elements of Geometry
- Aristotle’s method of science
Why the geometrical order?
- More difficult : analysis vs synthesis
- Various explanations
Differences between Spinoza and Euclid:
- Scholia
- Definitions
What does guarantee the truth of the definitions?
Common Notions
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Montana
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Outline
1. Introduction: Spinoza, Life and Works
2. The Geometrical Method
3. Basic Metaphysics: Substance, Nature and God
4. Conclusion
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Montana
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Basic Metaphysics:
Substances, Attributes and Modes (1)
Basic Metaphysics:
Only one fundamental constituent of the world: God, or
Nature. All other beings are modifications of the
substance
Substance:
=``that which is in itself and is conceived through itself”
 Exists necessarily, causa sui, infinite, unique of their kind
Modes:
= the ways in which the substance can be ``affected” =
modified
 Depends on the substance, caused by something else,
multiple
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Montana
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Basic Metaphysics:
Substances, Attributes and Modes (2)
Attributes:
= the ways in which the substance can be comprehended by
an intellect
 Aspects of the substance
 Ex: Thought, extension
Modes of the attributes:
= the ways in which the modes can be comprehended by an
intellect
 Aspects of the modes
 Ex: ideas, bodies
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Montana
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Basic Metaphysics:
Substances, Attributes and Modes (3)
Substance:
Ocean
Attribute:
Wave Movement
Mode:
Particular
Wave
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Montana
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Basic Metaphysics:
Deus sive Natura (God, or Nature)
God exists necessarily
- Ontological argument: God = substance
- Modal argument: necessary existence if not impossible
- Cosmological argument: finite beings  infinite being
- Ontological argument (2): God = absolutely perfect
The unique substance
- Argument: possess all possible attributes, and no two
substances share the same attributes (Identity of
Indiscernibles)
- God, or Nature, IS everything and everything is in it
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Basic Metaphysics:
Eternal Necessity of Everything
Everything exists necessarily as a necessary consequence of
God’s nature
-Mathematical or Logical necessity
-God, or Nature: ``Logical” cause of everything
Two modes of existence
- Substance and its attributes: Natura naturans –
“naturating” nature
- Modes and modes of the attributes: Natura naturata –
“naturated nature”
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Basic Metaphysics:
God and Freedom
God did not “create the world by an act of free will”
Necessary unfolding of its nature: how is this free?
Spinoza on Freedom
- Freedom does not require contingency
- Freedom = absence of external constraints and autonomy:
One does what one does for no other cause than oneself
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Basic Metaphysics:
Nature Has No Ends
Against traditional religion: “Superstition”
Finalist, Anthropomorphic, Human-centered morality, Worship
Why do we reason this way? Analogy with ourselves
Xenophanes: if cows had Gods, these Gods would have horns
Why is it damageable?
Ignorance, Superstition and Unhappiness
Why is it false?
Necessary unfolding, God does not lack anything
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Montana
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Outline
1. Introduction: Spinoza, Life and Works
2. The Geometrical Method
3. Basic Metaphysics: Substance, Nature and God
4. Conclusion
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Montana
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Conclusion:
Spinoza’s Metaphysics
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Montana
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