第 54 节
作者:
京文 更新:2021-02-19 21:41 字数:9292
and will (intellectus et voluntas)。 They are mere modifications which only exist for us apart from
God; therefore whatever refers to this difference and is specially brought about by it; is not
absolute; but finite。 These affections Spinoza sums up (Ethices; P。 I。 Prop。 XXIX。 Schol。 pp。 61;
62) under the head of natura naturata: “Natura naturans is God regarded as free cause; in so
far as He is in Himself and is conceived by Himself: or such attributes of substance as express the
eternal and infinite essence。 By natura naturata; I understand all that follows from the necessity
of the divine nature; or from any of the attributes of God; all modes of the divine attributes; in so
far as they are regarded as things which are in God; and which without God can neither exist nor
be conceived。” From God proceeds nothing; for all things merely return to the point whence they
came; if from themselves the commencement is made。
These then are Spinoza's general forms; this is his principal idea。 Some further determinations have
still to be mentioned。 He gives definitions of the terms modes; understanding; will; and of the
affections; such as joy and sadness。(6) We further find consciousness taken into consideration。 Its
development is extremely simple; or rather it is not developed at all; Spinoza begins directly with
mind。 “The essence of man consists of certain modifications of the attributes of God”; these
modifications are only something related to our understanding。 “If we; therefore; say that the
human mind perceives this or that; it means nothing else than that God has this or that idea; not in
so far as He is infinite; but in so far as He is expressed by the idea of the human mind。 And if we
say that God has this or that idea; not in so far as He constitutes the idea of the human mind; but in
so far as He has; along with the human mind; the idea of another thing; then we say that the human
mind perceives the thing partially or inadequately。” Truth is for Spinoza; on the other hand; the
adequate。(7) The idea that all particular content is only; a modification of God is ridiculed by
Bayle;(8) who argues from it that God modified as Turks and Austrians; is waging war with
Himself; but Bayle has not a trace of the speculative element in him; although he is acute enough as
a dialectician; and has contributed to the intelligent discussion of definite subjects。
The relation of thought and extension in the human consciousness is dealt with by Spinoza as
follows: “What has a place in the object” (or rather in the objective) “of the idea which constitutes
the human mind must be perceived by the human mind; or there must necessarily be in the mind an
idea of this object。 The object of the idea which constitutes the human mind is body; or a certain
mode of extension。 If; then; the object of the idea which constitutes the human mind; is the body;
there can happen nothing in the body which is not perceived by the mind。 Otherwise the ideas of
the affections of the body would not be in God; in so far as He constitutes our mind; but the idea
of another thing: that is to say; the ideas of the affections of our body would not be likewise in our
mind。” What is perplexing to understand in Spinoza's system is; on the one hand; the absolute
identity of thought and Being; and; on the other hand; their absolute indifference to one another;
because each of them is a manifestation of the whole essence of God。 The unity of the body and
consciousness is; according to Spinoza; this; that the individual is a mode of the absolute
substance; which; as consciousness; is the representation of the manner in which the body is
affected by external things; all that is in consciousness is also in extension; and conversely。 “Mind
knows itself only in so far as it perceives the ideas of the affections of body;” it has only the idea
of the affections of its body; this idea is synthetic combination; as we shall immediately see。 “The
ideas; whether of the attributes of God or of individual things; do not recognize as their efficient
cause their objects themselves; or the things perceived; but God Himself; in so far as He is that
which thinks。”(9) Buhle (Geschichte der neuern Philos。 Vol。 III。 Section II。 p。 524) sums up these
propositions of Spinoza thus: “Thought is inseparably bound up with extension; therefore all that
takes place in extension must also take place in consciousness。” Spinoza; however; also accepts
both in their separation from one another。 The idea of body; he writes (Epistol。 LXVI。 p。 673);
includes only these two in itself; and does not express any other attributes。 The body which it
represents is regarded under the attribute of extension; but the idea itself is a mode of thought。
Here we see a dividing asunder; mere identity; the undistinguishable nature of all things in the
Absolute; is insufficient even for Spinoza。
The individuum; individuality itself; is thus defined by Spinoza (Ethic。 P。 11。 Prop。 XIII。 Defin。 p。
92): “When several bodies of the same or of different magnitudes are so pressed together that they
rest on one another; or when; moving with like or different degrees of rapidity; they communicate
their movement to one another in a certain measure; we say that such bodies are united to one
another; and that all together they form one body or individuum; which by this union distinguishes
itself from all the other bodies。〃 Here we are at the extreme limit of Spinoza's system; and it is here
that his weak point appears。 Individuation; the one; is a mere synthesis; it is quite a different thing
from the Ichts or self…hood of Boehme (supra; pp。 205…207); since Spinoza has only universality;
thought; and not self…consciousness。 If; before considering this in reference to the whole; we take
it from the other side; namely from the understanding; the distinction really falls under that head it is
not deduced; it is found。 Thus; as we have already seen (p。 270) “the understanding in act
(intellectus actu); as also will; desire; love; must be referred to natura naturata; not to natura
naturans。 For by the understanding; as recognized for itself; we do not mean absolute thought;
but only a certain mode of thought — a mode which is distinct from other modes like desire; love;
etc。; and on that account must be conceived by means of absolute thought; i。e。; by means of an
attribute of God which expresses an eternal and infinite essentiality of thought; without which the
understanding; as also the rest of the modes of thought; could neither be nor be conceived to be。”
(Spinoza; Ethices; P。 1。 Propos。 XXXI。 pp。 62; 63)。 Spinoza is unacquainted with an infinity of
form; which would be something quite different from that of rigid; unyielding substance。 What is
requisite is to recognize God as the essence of essences; as universal substance; identity; and yet
to preserve distinctions。
Spinoza goes on to say: “What constitutes the real (actuale) existence of the human mind is nothing
else than the idea of a particular” (individual) “thing; that actually exists;” not of an infinite thing。
“The essence of man involves no necessary existence; i。e。; according to the order of nature a man
may just as well be as not be。” For the human consciousness; as it does not belong to essence as
an attribute; is a mode — a mode of the attribute of thought。 But neither is the body; according to
Spinoza; the cause of consciousness; nor is consciousness the cause of the body; but the finite
cause is here only the relation of like to like; body is determined by body; conception by
conception。 “The body can neither determine the mind to thought; nor can the mind determine the
body to motion; or rest; or anything else。 For all modes of thought have God as Cause; in so far as
He is a thinking thing; and not in so far as He is revealed by means of another attribute。 What
therefore determines the mind to thought; is a mode of thought and not of extension; similarly
motion and rest of the body must be derived from another body。”(10) I might quote many other
such particular propositions from Spinoza; but they are very formal; and a continual repetition of
one and the same thing。
Buhle (Gesch。 d。 neuern Phil。 Vol。 III。 Section 2; pp。 525…528); attributes limited conceptions to
Spinoza: “The soul experiences in the body all the 'other' of which it becomes aware as outside of
the body; and it becomes aware of this 'other' only by means of the conceptions of the qualities
which the body perceives therein。 If; therefore; the body can perceive no qualities of a thing; the
soul also can come to no knowledge of it。 On the other hand; the soul is equally unable to arrive at
the perception of the body which belongs to it; the soul knows not that the body is there; and
knows itself even in no other way than by means of the qualities which the body perceives in things
which are outside of it; and by means of the conceptions of the same。 For the body is an individual
thing; determined in a certain manner; which can only gradually; in association with and amidst
other individual things; attain to existence; and can preserve itself in existence only as thus
connected; combined and a