Full Idea
For Spinoza the purpose of society was the extension of human awareness.
Gist of Idea
Society exists to extend human awareness
Source
report of Baruch de Spinoza (Tractatus Theologico-Politicus [1670]) by Peter Watson - Ideas Ch.24
Book Reference
Watson,Peter: 'Ideas: from fire to Freud' [Phoenix 2006], p.684
A Reaction
I like that. Personally I think human understanding is the best aim our lives can have, but I am inclined to see this in rather individualistic terms (despairing of getting others interested in the project!).