SPINOZA ON GOD AND THE LIFE LED BY REASON

Abstract

Despite differences in personal definitions of what it means to be good, one philosopher, Spinoza, adhered to the view that a life led by reason is truly virtuous. The purpose of this work is to investigate why Spinoza believed that to be so, and with the use of his classic the Ethics, I will explicate his understanding of God, or Nature, the mind, the body, and the influences that affect people’s ways of living. Finally, by analyzing Spinoza’s demonstrations concerning why a life guided by reason is identical to living morally, I will suggest that there is a general standard of righteousness conveyed in the Ethics that aims to benefit all, regardless of individual opinions concerning moral rectitude

Keywords

• History of Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Metaphysics, Ontology, Rationalism, Spinozism