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Ideas from 'Letters to De Vries' by Baruch de Spinoza [1664], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Ethics, Improvement of Understanding, Letters' by Spinoza,Benedict de (ed/tr Elwes,R) [Dover 1955,0-486-20250-x]].

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9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 14. Knowledge of Essences
4869 Experience does not teach us any essences of things
                        Full Idea: Experience does not teach us any essences of things.
                        From: Baruch de Spinoza (Letters to De Vries [1664], 1664?)
                        A reaction: This, along with Leibniz's claim that experience cannot reveal necessities, may constitute a striking criticism of empiricism, but it invites the obvious reply 'so much the worse for essences'. An essence seems to be a theoretical concept, not a priori.