Oops, I overlooked a post that should have preceded the post before
last concerning "Certain Rules of Life." It doesn't matter; my primary
purpose here today is to invite more participation by individuals who
have a love of philosophy and who would be willing to share their know-
lege of Spinoza with us either in comments or on our weekly phone meeting.
Please send me an email if you would like to join our inquiry.
==========
"Another item that I overlooked is the table of contents. I've been
using the Dover edition for a long time, and the contents page is
separated from the text of TEI by all the propositions of Ethics. In
our study, we are about to embark upon #17, "Certain Rules of Life,"
--perfectly germain to one of my chief interests in this reading.
That is, responding to the question, "What would Spinoza have us
ordinary readers do that is perhaps within our power now?" That is
using the Dover edition for a long time, and the contents page is
separated from the text of TEI by all the propositions of Ethics. In
our study, we are about to embark upon #17, "Certain Rules of Life,"
--perfectly germain to one of my chief interests in this reading.
That is, responding to the question, "What would Spinoza have us
ordinary readers do that is perhaps within our power now?" That is
a most vital question, but one which has many pitfalls which in sum
are perhaps symbolized by Baron Munchausen who, if memory serves,
managed to pull himself out of the dreck by grabbing his own hair.
A Bulgarian composer I once studied with called it, "trying to jump
higher than your belly button."
At this point, I feel compelled to explain the obvious. I am not
educated in philosophy generally, although I had an excellent teacher
insofar as the practical aspects of following Spinoza are concerned.
Even then, however, I was not among the most advanced students. I
expect that anyone with a reasonable degree of education in the field
of philosophy may have many ideas come to mind which would be worthy
of note with regard to TEI, ideas which are beyond my very limited
knowledge. I am interested in learning, so please do offer your
remarks if you are out there following along. I doubt anyone is going to
At this point, I feel compelled to explain the obvious. I am not
educated in philosophy generally, although I had an excellent teacher
insofar as the practical aspects of following Spinoza are concerned.
Even then, however, I was not among the most advanced students. I
expect that anyone with a reasonable degree of education in the field
of philosophy may have many ideas come to mind which would be worthy
of note with regard to TEI, ideas which are beyond my very limited
knowledge. I am interested in learning, so please do offer your
remarks if you are out there following along. I doubt anyone is going to
be put off by my bias that intellectual knowledge of Spinoza is likely to
be very incomplete knowledge without being accompanied by the endeavor
to live the teachings. But the converse is also true, I believe. Critical
thinking about the philosophy is clearly useful, and this must
include not only the eternal aspects, but also the historical and
philosophical context within which they were expressed, and what
Spinoza means to philosophers now.
After doing a little research, I've encountered an opinion by an
historian of philosophy, to the effect that Spinoza chose not to
finish TEI for reasons pertaining to the science of logic. For me, a
better understanding of the substance and history of logic would be a
prerequisite to attempting to paraphrase the idea. I want to come
to my own ideas about why the treatise is incomplete, but will
gladly accept help in acquiring evidence useful in developing them.
Because of Spinoza's mention of Logic in Part 5 of Ethics, I have
tried to make progress in learning about its evolution, and to come
to terms with what Spinoza understood as the difference between
classical Logic and what he called "true logic." However, I must say
that my efforts have been rather paltry thus far, as such studies do
not come easily for me even when I put in the time.
From what I am learning, it turns out (not surprisingly) that for
some, Spinoza's TEI is an important document in the whole history of
logic. If anyone can explain more about this, I hope they will,
especially since it may shed light on why TEI is unfinished.
Cheers,
DR"
*****
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1 On the Improvement of the Understanding
3 Of the ordinary objects of men's desires
12 Of the true and final good
17 Certain rules of life
19 Of the four modes of perception
25 Of the best mode of perception
33 Of the instruments of the intellect, or true ideas
43 Answers to objections
First part of method:
50 Distinction of true ideas from fictitious ideas
64 And from false ideas
77 Of doubt
81 Of memory and forgetfulness
86 Mental hindrances from words - and from the popular confusion
of ready imagination with distinct understanding.
Second part of method:
91 Its object, the acquisition of clear and distinct ideas
94 Its means, good definitions
Conditions of definition
107 How to define understanding
thinking about the philosophy is clearly useful, and this must
include not only the eternal aspects, but also the historical and
philosophical context within which they were expressed, and what
Spinoza means to philosophers now.
After doing a little research, I've encountered an opinion by an
historian of philosophy, to the effect that Spinoza chose not to
finish TEI for reasons pertaining to the science of logic. For me, a
better understanding of the substance and history of logic would be a
prerequisite to attempting to paraphrase the idea. I want to come
to my own ideas about why the treatise is incomplete, but will
gladly accept help in acquiring evidence useful in developing them.
Because of Spinoza's mention of Logic in Part 5 of Ethics, I have
tried to make progress in learning about its evolution, and to come
to terms with what Spinoza understood as the difference between
classical Logic and what he called "true logic." However, I must say
that my efforts have been rather paltry thus far, as such studies do
not come easily for me even when I put in the time.
From what I am learning, it turns out (not surprisingly) that for
some, Spinoza's TEI is an important document in the whole history of
logic. If anyone can explain more about this, I hope they will,
especially since it may shed light on why TEI is unfinished.
Cheers,
DR"
*****
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1 On the Improvement of the Understanding
3 Of the ordinary objects of men's desires
12 Of the true and final good
17 Certain rules of life
19 Of the four modes of perception
25 Of the best mode of perception
33 Of the instruments of the intellect, or true ideas
43 Answers to objections
First part of method:
50 Distinction of true ideas from fictitious ideas
64 And from false ideas
77 Of doubt
81 Of memory and forgetfulness
86 Mental hindrances from words - and from the popular confusion
of ready imagination with distinct understanding.
Second part of method:
91 Its object, the acquisition of clear and distinct ideas
94 Its means, good definitions
Conditions of definition
107 How to define understanding
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