Combining Texts

Ideas for 'The Social Contract (tr Cress)', 'The Ethics' and 'The Philosophical Culture'

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16. Persons / C. Self-Awareness / 2. Knowing the Self
Self-knowledge needs perception of the affections of the body [Spinoza]
     Full Idea: The mind does not know itself except in so far as it perceives the ideas of the affections of the body.
     From: Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], II Pr 23)
     A reaction: 'The ideas of the affections of the body' seems to be twice removed from the actual body, so I am not crystal clear what this says. The idea of knowing yourself with no involvement at all of the body seems absurd.