display all the ideas for this combination of texts
5 ideas
17194 | Reason only explains what is universal, so it is timeless, under a certain form of eternity [Spinoza] |
Full Idea: The foundations of reason are notions which explain those things which are common to all, and these things explain the essence of no individual thing, and must therefore be conceived without any relation to time, but under a certain form of eternity. | |
From: Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], II Pr 44) | |
A reaction: You have to be totally inspired by this even if you totally disagree with it. |
4840 | Reason perceives things under a certain form of eternity [Spinoza] |
Full Idea: It is in the nature of reason to perceive things under a certain form of eternity ('sub quadam aeternitatis specie'). | |
From: Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], II Pr 44) | |
A reaction: A wonderful, and justly famous, remark. If you don't feel the force (and poetry!) of this, you aren't a philosopher. It is not only appealing, but I don't see how it can fail to be true. Try producing good reasons which only have temporary force. |
17213 | In so far as men live according to reason, they will agree with one another [Spinoza] |
Full Idea: Men necessarily always agree with one another in so far as they live according to the guidance of reason. | |
From: Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], IV Pr 35) | |
A reaction: I think this was my earliest motivation for getting interested in philosophy. Oddly, the Socratic tradition of philosophy is to challenge and criticise, but the aim is agreement. I sort of believe this idea, despite its wild idealism. |
6912 | For Fichte there is no God outside the ego, and 'our religion is reason' [Fichte, by Feuerbach] |
Full Idea: For Fichte there is no God outside the ego, and 'our religion is reason'. | |
From: report of Johann Fichte (works [1798]) by Ludwig Feuerbach - Principles of Philosophy of the Future §17 | |
A reaction: Fichte was not an atheist, but this seems to be a supreme aphorism for summarising our image of the Englightenment. Personally I subscribe to the Enlightenment ideal (the best life is the rational life), despite doubts about 'pure' reason. |
4819 | There is necessarily for each existent thing a cause why it should exist [Spinoza] |
Full Idea: There is necessarily for each existent thing a cause why it should exist. | |
From: Baruch de Spinoza (The Ethics [1675], I Pr 08 n2) | |
A reaction: The obvious response is 'how do you know that?' It has to the sort of a priori commitment we expect from a rationalist philosopher. It seems to me quite an appealing candidate for an axiom of human understanding. |