Benedictus de Spinoza Quotes

Dutch philosopher (1632-1677)

Benedictus de Spinoza (24 November 1632 – 21 February 1677) was a social and metaphysical philosopher known for the elaborate development of his monist philosophy, which has become known as Spinozism. Controversy regarding his ideas led to his excommunication from the Jewish community of his native Amsterdam. He was named Baruch ("blessed" in Hebrew) Spinoza by his synagogue elders and known as Bento de Spinoza or Bento d'Espiñoza, but afterwards used the name Benedictus ("blessed" in Latin) de Spinoza.

From: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Native Name: בָּרוּךְ שְׂפִּינוֹזָה • Benedito de Espinosa

Alternative Names: Benedict de Spinoza • Baruch de Espinosa • Barukh Shpinozah • Benoît de Spinoza • Sbīnūzā • Ispīnūzā • Barukh Spinoza • Bento de Espinosa • Baruch d' Espinoza • Shpinozah • Baruch de Spinoza • Spinoza • Benoit de Spinoza • Benedictus De Spinoza • Benedictus Spinoza • Baruch Spinoza • Baruch Benedictus de Spinoza

From Wikidata (CC0)

Whether this desire for sex is moderate or not, it is usually called lust.

The order and connection of ideas in the same as the order and connection of things

The object of the idea constituting the human mind is the body

But human power is considerably limited and infinitely surpassed by the power of external causes, and therefore we do not have an absolute power of adapting things which are outside us for our use. But we shall bear with equanimity those things which happen to us contrary to that which a regard for our advantage postulates, if we are conscious that we have done that which we ought, and that we could not have extended the power we have to such an extent as to avoid those things, and moreover, that we are part of nature as a whole, whose order we follow. If we understand this clearly and distinctly, that part of us which is defined by our understanding, that is, the best part of us, will be wholly contented, and will endeavour to persist in that contentment. For in so far as we understand, we can desire nothing save that which is necessary, nor can we absolutely be contented with anything save what is true: and therefore in so far as we understand this rightly, the endeavour of the best part of us agrees with the order of the whole of nature.

Everyone is by absolute natural right the master of his own thoughts, and thus utter failure will attend any attempt in a commonwealth to force men to speak only as prescribed by the sovereign despite their different and opposing opinions.

The idea, which constitutes the actual being of the human mind, is not simple, but compounded of a great number of ideas.

Der Endzweck des Staates ist [...] im Grund die Freiheit.

So they will pursue their questions from cause to cause, till at last you take refuge in the will of God — in other words, the sanctuary of ignorance.

Better that right counsels be known to enemies than that the evil secrets of tyrants should be concealed from citizens.

Citizens are not born, but made.

Peace is not the absence of war, but a virtue based on strength of character.

The intellectual love of a thing consists in understanding its perfections.

it is certain that seditions, wars, and contempt or breach of the laws are not so much to be imputed to the wickedness of the subjects, as to the bad state of the dominion.

[T]hese instances are enough to show, that the body can by the sole laws of its nature do many things which the mind wonders at.

those, who are believed to be most self — abased and humble, are generally in reality the most ambitious and envious