the ethics(part ii)-第13节

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the　imagination　of　a　winged　horse　be　joined　to　an　idea　which



precludes　the　　existence　of　the　said　horse；　or　unless　the　mind



perceives　that　the　idea　which　it　possess　of　a　　winged　horse　is



inadequate；　in　which　case　it　will　either　necessarily　deny　the



existence　of　　such　a　horse；　or　will　necessarily　be　in　doubt　on



the　subject。







I　think　that　I　have　anticipated　my　answer　to　the　third　objection；



namely；　that　the　will　is　　something　universal　which　is　predicated



of　all　ideas；　and　that　it　only　signifies　that　which　is　　common　to



all　ideas；　namely；　an　affirmation；　whose　adequate　essence　must；



therefore；　in　　so　far　as　it　is　thus　conceived　in　the　abstract；　be



in　every　idea；　and　be；　in　this　respect　alone；　　the　same　in　all；



not　in　so　far　as　it　is　considered　as　constituting　the　idea's



essence：　　for；　in　　this　respect；　particular　affirmations　differ



one　from　the　other；　as　much　as　do　ideas。　　For　　instance；　the



affirmation　which　involves　the　idea　of　a　circle；　differs　from



that　which　　involves　the　idea　of　a　triangle；　as　much　as　the　idea



of　a　circle　differs　from　the　idea　of　a　　triangle。







Further；　I　absolutely　deny；　that　we　are　in　need　of　an　equal　power



of　thinking；　to　affirm　　that　that　which　is　true　is　true；　and　to



affirm　that　that　which　is　false　is　true。　　These　two　



affirmations；　if　we　regard　the　mind；　are　in　the　same　relation　to



one　another　as　being　and　　not…being；　for　there　is　nothing



positive　in　ideas；　which　constitutes　the　actual　reality　of　



falsehood　（II。　xxxv。　note；　and　xlvii。　note）。







We　must　therefore　conclude；　that　we　are　easily　deceived；　when　we



confuse　universals　with　　singulars；　and　the　entities　of　reason



and　abstractions　with　realities。　　As　for　the　fourth　　objection；　I



am　quite　ready　to　admit；　that　a　man　placed　in　the　equilibrium



described　　（namely；　as　perceiving　nothing　but　hunger　and　thirst；



a　certain　food　and　a　certain　drink；　　each　equally　distant　from



him）　would　die　of　hunger　and　thirst。　　If　I　am　asked；　whether　such



　an　one　should　not　rather　be　considered　an　ass　than　a　man；　I



answer；　that　I　do　not　know；　　neither　do　I　know　how　a　man　should



be　considered；　who　hangs　himself；　or　how　we　should　　consider



children；　fools；　madmen；　&c。







It　remains　to　point　out　the　advantages　of　a　knowledge　of　this



doctrine　as　bearing　on　　conduct；　and　this　may　be　easily　gathered



from　what　has　been　said。　　The　doctrine　is　good；







1。　Inasmuch　as　it　teaches　us　to　act　solely　according　to　the



decree　of　God；　and　to　be　　partakers　in　the　Divine　nature；　and　so



much　the　more；　as　we　perform　more　perfect　actions　　and　more　and



more　understand　God。　　Such　a　doctrine　not　only　completely



tranquilizes　our　　spirit；　but　also　shows　us　where　our　highest



happiness　or　blessedness　is；　namely；　solely　in　　the　knowledge　of



God；　whereby　we　are　led　to　act　only　as　love　and　piety　shall　bid



us。　　We　　may　thus　clearly　understand；　how　far　astray　from　a　true



estimate　of　virtue　are　those　who　　expect　to　be　decorated　by　God



with　high　rewards　for　their　virtue；　and　their　best　actions；　　as



for　having　endured　the　direst　slavery；　as　if　virtue　and　the



service　of　God　were　not　in　　itself　happiness　and　perfect　freedom。







2。　Inasmuch　as　it　teaches　us；　how　we　ought　to　conduct　ourselves



with　respect　to　the　gifts　　of　fortune；　or　matters　which　are　not



in　our　power；　and　do　not　follow　from　our　nature。　　For　　it　shows



us；　that　we　should　await　and　endure　fortune's　smiles　or　frowns



with　an　equal　　mind；　seeing　that　all　things　follow　from　the



eternal　decree　of　God　by　the　same　necessity；　　as　it　follows　from



the　essence　of　a　triangle；　that　the　three　angles　are　equal　to　two



right　　angles。







3。　This　doctrine　raises　social　life；　inasmuch　as　it　teaches　us　to



hate　no　man；　neither　to　　despise；　to　deride；　to　envy；　or　to　be



angry　with　any。　　Further；　as　it　tells　us　that　each　should　　be



content　with　his　own；　and　helpful　to　his　neighbour；　not　from　any



womanish　pity；　　favour；　or　superstition；　but　solely　by　the



guidance　of　reason；　according　as　the　time　and　　occasion　demand；



as　I　will　show　in　Part　III。







4。　Lastly；　this　doctrine　confers　no　small　advantage　on　the



commonwealth；　for　it　teaches　　how　citizens　should　be　governed　and



led；　not　so　as　to　become　slaves；　but　so　that　they　may　　freely　do



whatsoever　things　are　best。







I　have　thus　fulfilled　the　promise　made　at　the　beginning　of　this



note；　and　I　thus　bring　the　　second　part　of　my　treatise　to　a



close。　　I　think　I　have　therein　explained　the　nature　and　



properties　of　the　human　mind　at　sufficient　length；　and；



considering　the　difficulty　of　the　　subject；　with　sufficient



clearness。　　I　have　laid　a　foundation；　whereon　may　be　raised　many　



excellent　conclusions　of　the　highest　utility　and　most　necessary



to　be　known；　as　will；　in　　what　follows；　be　partly　made　plain。























END　OF　PART　II