Spinoza's groundbreaking 1677 philosophical treatise presents a geometric approach to understanding God, nature, and human emotions. The Dutch philosopher argues that everything exists as part of a single substance, challenging traditional religious and moral concepts through rigorous logical proofs. R. H. M. Elwes translation.
I. By that which is self--caused, I mean that of which the essence involves existence, or that of which the nature is only conceivable as existent. II. A thing is called finite after its kind, when it can be limited by another thing of the same nature; for instance, a body is called finite because we always conceive another greater body. So, also, a thought is limited by another thought, but a body is not limited by thought, nor a thought by body. III. By substance, I mean that which is in itself, and is conceived through itself: in other words, that of which a conception can be formed independently of any other conception.Continue reading →
This is the R. H. M. Elwes translation, a public-domain English text. Marginalia presents it unabridged, with chapter navigation, your reading position saved, and optional AI commentary on any passage.
A 17th-century Dutch philosopher who dared to challenge religious orthodoxy, this radical thinker was excommunicated from Amsterdam's Jewish community at age 23 for his controversial ideas. His masterwork Ethics revolutionized Western philosophy by arguing that God and nature are one substance, laying groundwork for modern secular thought and influencing countless later philosophers. All works by Baruch Spinoza →
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