Full Idea
Men prefer order to confusion, as if order were something in nature apart from our own imagination.
Gist of Idea
Men say they prefer order, not realising that we imagine the order
Source
Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], IApp)
Book Reference
Spinoza,Benedict de: 'Ethics', ed/tr. White,WH/Stirling,AH [Wordsworth 2001], p.38
A Reaction
This seems to neglect the fact that patterns (precise repetitions) are an objective feature of nature. We didn't imagine the 92 natural occurring elements.