SPINOZA'S PHILOSOPHY

What are we going to
observe ?
What are we going to
observe ?
Spinoza’s work and
what are the
importance of his work
and how he influenced
the people during the
era of the 17 and 18th
century
Reality of the
nature and
human life
Reality of the
nature and
human life
Philosophical
methodology
Philosophical
methodology
Theological &
Epistemological
views
Theological &
Epistemological
views
Spinoza's
Theological-
Political Treatise
(TPT) of 1670
Spinoza's
Theological-
Political Treatise
(TPT) of 1670
Analyzing the
works of other
philosophers
Analyzing the
works of other
philosophers
Ontological
arguments
Ontological
arguments

History of Spinoza
1632-1677
Background :-
1. Born in Amsterdam
2. Portuguese Jewish
parents
3. Parents sought
refuge religious
from persecution
Background :-
1. Born in Amsterdam
2. Portuguese Jewish
parents
3. Parents sought
refuge religious
from persecution
His life :-
1. Died (1677) - of
consumption
2. Jewish philosopher
and friends
His life :-
1. Died (1677) - of
consumption
2. Jewish philosopher
and friends
Spinoza:-
1. Unhappy with Jewish social
circumstances
2. Jewish emphasize – Asceticism,
love & contemplation and
purifying soul.
Spinoza:-
1. Unhappy with Jewish social
circumstances
2. Jewish emphasize – Asceticism,
love & contemplation and
purifying soul.
Studies :-
1. Early education - Jewish
Academy of Amsterdam
2. After died_Talmudis
literature
3. Cabalistic philosophy
Studies :-
1. Early education - Jewish
Academy of Amsterdam
2. After died_Talmudis
literature
3. Cabalistic philosophy
Career
1.Declined offer professorship
at Heidelberg,1673
2.He chose to independent,
humble life of lens grinder
Career
1.Declined offer professorship
at Heidelberg,1673
2.He chose to independent,
humble life of lens grinder
Published
1. Principle of philosophy,1663
2. Theological Political
Treatise,1670
3. Opera Posthuma Ethics,1677
Published
1. Principle of philosophy,1663
2. Theological Political
Treatise,1670
3. Opera Posthuma Ethics,1677
His Philosophy
1.Spinozism (Philosophy of Spinoza) - Life his own
thought
2.His system of thought (Spinozism);
3.Identity of God
4.Nature
5.Substance in the One (infinite & unique substance)
His Philosophy
1.Spinozism (Philosophy of Spinoza) - Life his own
thought
2.His system of thought (Spinozism);
3.Identity of God
4.Nature
5.Substance in the One (infinite & unique substance)
His Ideology
1.He used “Cartesian”
terminology & idea of method.
(Geometrical method - to
understand the system of reality)
2.Use of “Axioms”/ “theorems”
(To deduce God, nature, truth
as nature, attributes and modes
of all that is “being” in the
cosmos. )
His Ideology
1.He used “Cartesian”
terminology & idea of method.
(Geometrical method - to
understand the system of reality)
2.Use of “Axioms”/ “theorems”
(To deduce God, nature, truth
as nature, attributes and modes
of all that is “being” in the
cosmos. )

Principles of Spinoza :- Spinoza is the Rationalists: Substance, Nature and God
1. GEOMETRICAL ORDER
 Influenced by Descartes
 He proof philosophical ideas
 Base on this he comes out with
“theory of Idea”
 What – Aristotle methods of
science
 Why – analysis and synthesis
 Result – deduction method
 Ethics – he presented in the Ethics
is the Geometrical form.
 Divided five parts :- God, Nature
& origin of the Mind, origin and
nature of the emotions, the power
of the intellect or human freedom.
 1st
part – 8 definitions & 7 axioms
 2nd
 3rd
part – 3 definitions & 2
postulates
 4th
 5th
part – 2 axioms.
• We can differentiate this method in
central idea of the unity of God,
Nature in one infinite substance.
• Contributed to Spinoza’s
“Metaphysical Idea”.
• This method provided him i.e. ideal
of method & good terminology
• he doubted Descartes philosophy -
efficient cause rather into final
causes.
• Monism – derived to monism due to
Cartesianism (adopting from
Descartes) – substance to God alone.
• Rational thinker.

Principles of Spinoza :-
2. NO FINAL CAUSE
 no direction for things moving from or to and
no end
 no purpose and no final cause
 Mathematics does not deal final cause but
with the essences of things
 For Spinoza, the “truth” is all events are
“continuous and necessary set of
modifications” of eternal substance which is
simply means “is”.
 Spinoza reduced the biological to
mathematical
3. THEORY OF IDEAS
 Spinoza said - system of ideas must
necessarily be infinite.
 Ultimate infinite to God himself
 Ontological real substance are merely modes
and modifications
 We must see the logical structure as a whole,
integrated, relationship to one subject and that
is ultimate substance-GOD
4.CAUSE-EFFECTRELATIONSHIP
 God is the cause of the universe
 Causes must logically connected to
effects through active principles like
how in geometry where the
mathematical needs determines the
result or the effect (e.g. triangle
which necessary cause consist of
three sides)
 all things are exist and operate in a
particular manner by the necessity
of the divine nature
 God cannot be called as a contingent
thing

5. The principle of sufficient reason (PSR)
 Motivates many of the most important and intriguing doctrines of the Ethics.
6. The priority of the infinite over the finite
 the infinite is prior to the finite both in nature and in knowledge
 God’s essence - cause of all things.
 Cognition depends on the cognition of God’s essence
 We avoid radical skepticism - must have clear epistemological access to
essence of God
6. The priority of the infinite over the finite
 the infinite is prior to the finite both in nature and in knowledge
 God’s essence - cause of all things.
 Cognition depends on the cognition of God’s essence
 We avoid radical skepticism - must have clear epistemological access to
essence of God

7. Spinoza’s theories of the emotions
Desire and pleasure can be either active emotions/passions.
Spinoza interested in human emotions and conduct such as “the
conatus” meaning to say the derived emotions of human i.e.
passive and active emotions, servitude and freedom, the
intellectual love of God and the eternity of the human mind
8. Spinoza’s Political theory
Spinoza emphasizes that citizen cannot give up the right to
pursue their own advantages
Power, and right, of any actual state is always limited by the
state’s practical ability to enforce its dictates so as to alter the
citizens’ continuing perception of their own advantage.

SubstanceSubstanceSubstanceSubstance
God is a Being
absolutely infinite,
necessarily
existent
Substance as “that
which is in itself and is
conceived thorough
itself”
Infinite attributes of God
(or substance) we have
knowledge of only two i.e.
mind and matter
Thought and
extension, God is
thinking thing and
also extended thing.
Existence of God consists
of everything that exists and
everything that exists is
God
God is the one, brought power,
creates of essence of things and
brings them into existence as an
ultimate reality, infinite and
divine substance
Being, it is his essence
that is immortal and
thorough intellectual love
of God, human being
become immortal
Two substances nothing
in common and one
cannot be the cause of
the other

1. ATTRIBUTES
 The attributes of God or substance -
found in Man
 Because man is a form of God and
everything flows from God or
substance or reality
 Each man has his own mode of
extension and thought - either mode
of matter or mode of mind
 Two modes i.e. mind and body are
complex and composed by many
parts followed by man’s mind is
conscious.
 God (substance) expresses itself as a
infinite number of attributes but
man only able to grasp two things
i.e. extension and thought and God
is both body and mind
2. ESSENCE
 Man does not involve necessary
existence meaning the existence or
non-existence of man does not
follow the nature and man thinks.
 Thought – such as love desire,
affections of the mind do not exist
unless the same individual the idea
exists of a thing loved, desired
 Thought is an attributes of God and
God is a thinking thing
 Individual thoughts or are the mode
of thoughts are actually expression
of God and one of the infinite
attributes of God which expresses
the eternal and infinite essence of
God.
 Extension is an attribute of God or
God is extended thing.
 We can’t separate the body and
mind into two substance
 No relation between mind and body
and no impact or influencing the other.
Mind and body are constructed in the
way that one is accompanied by what is
happening in the other

Understanding of Metaphysics:
Substances, Attributes and Modes
Understanding of Metaphysics:
Substances, Attributes and Modes
1. Metaphysics: -
• Only one fundamental element of the world: God, or Nature.
• All other beings are modifications of the substance
2. Substance: -
• ``that which is in itself and is conceived through itself”
• Exists necessarily, causa sui, infinite, unique of their kind
3. Modes:-
• the ways in which the substance can be ``affected” = modified
• Depends on the substance, caused by something else, multiple

SAMPLE = SUBSTANCE, ATTRIBUTES AND MODESSAMPLE = SUBSTANCE, ATTRIBUTES AND MODES
Substance = Ocean
Attributes = Wave movement
Mode = Particular Wave

DEUS SIVE NATURA (GOD, OR NATURE)
1. God exists necessarily
• Ontological argument: God = substance
• God = absolutely perfect
2. The unique substance
• Argument: possess all possible attributes, and no two substances share
the same attributes
• God, or Nature, IS everything and everything is in it
1. God for Spinoza
• Cause of itself
• Substance
• Attribute
• Infinite
• Eternity
1. Spinoza’s theory & Pantheism
• is the view that God is
everything, then Spinoza is a
pantheist only if he identifies
God with all of Nature
• Spinoza is a pantheist, just
because he does identify God
with the whole of nature.

EthicsEthics
The human
mind
The human
mind
Good and
Evil
Good and
Evil
Free will &
human being
Free will &
human being
Soul &
immortality
Soul &
immortality
Understanding
of the state
Understanding
of the state
Theory of
Knowledge
Theory of
Knowledge
1. God’s attributes
2. Extended & thought
3. God – extended thing
4. Not physical or bodily
1. Lack of knowledge –
negative results
2. Striving – must be good
3. Man archive realization –
seeking the truth
4. Morality
1. Reject freedom in religion
2. Determinism
3. Causal link
4. God is free & independent
5. Will – determined by man
1. God is ultimate substance
2. Soul – nothing else
3. Soul not immortal –
absolute – cant destroyed
1. Social contract
2. Socially move
3. Rights & peace
4. agreement
1. (3) levels of knowledge
2. 1) imagination, 2) reason
and 3) intuition.
3. Truth

Spinoza & PantheismSpinoza & PantheismSpinoza & PantheismSpinoza & Pantheism
1. Universe - kinds of substance i.e mind and body.
2. Dualism did not satisfy Spinoza and for him it is only one substance or one basic
“stuff” which constitutes of the entire universe.
3. Everything in the universe is God and all the individual things are one great
whole and God is the universe and universe is the God.
4. Anything happened in the body it will affect the mind - this is known as “psycho-
physical parallelism” entire universe is one substance.
5. Pantheism is the view that God is everything, then Spinoza is a pantheist only if he
identifies God with all of Nature.
6. Hence to discover that those who believe that Spinoza is a pantheist or he is not a
pantheist focus on the question of whether God is to be identified with the whole of
Nature, including the infinite and finite modes of Natura naturata, or only with
substance and attributes-Natura naturans but not the modes.
1. Universe - kinds of substance i.e mind and body.
2. Dualism did not satisfy Spinoza and for him it is only one substance or one basic
“stuff” which constitutes of the entire universe.
3. Everything in the universe is God and all the individual things are one great
whole and God is the universe and universe is the God.
4. Anything happened in the body it will affect the mind - this is known as “psycho-
physical parallelism” entire universe is one substance.
5. Pantheism is the view that God is everything, then Spinoza is a pantheist only if he
identifies God with all of Nature.
6. Hence to discover that those who believe that Spinoza is a pantheist or he is not a
pantheist focus on the question of whether God is to be identified with the whole of
Nature, including the infinite and finite modes of Natura naturata, or only with
substance and attributes-Natura naturans but not the modes.

Spinoza and otherSpinoza and other
philosophersphilosophers

SPINOZASPINOZA
1.Substance = “in itself” or ultimate subject
2.Mode = “that which is in another “
3.attributes = principle properties of substance
4.Among the attributes = thought and extension
5.other properties of a substance are referred
through, or are ways of being, that attribute
6.God exists and is a substance
7.cannot be two or more substances of the same
nature or attribute
8.One substance cannot be produced by another
9.Substance = necessarily infinite
10.Substance = indivisible
11.Substance = unique.
12.Substance = cant be conceived
DESCARTESDESCARTES
1.Many extended substances (pluralist interpretation) &
many minds
2.Defines = substance & created substance
3.Created substance in two forms = extended substances and
mind.
4.Substance =A thing whose existence dependent on no
other thing. Created Substance = A thing whose existence is
dependent on nothing other than God.
5.Minds and bodies are really distinct = they are each
substances
6.Started whole world with mechanical
LEIBNIZLEIBNIZ
1.Substances = independent & ultimate subjects
2.Substance =unities & harmony
3.Substance = active
4.No extended substance & Nothing extended can be a
substance since nothing that is extended is a unity
5.The ultimate created substances, for Leibniz, are like
Cartesian thinking substances & refers to simple
substances as “minds” or “souls.”
6.Ultimate constituents of reality are monads which are
indivisible and un-extended minds or mind-like
substances
GEORGE BERKELEY
1.Universal idea of substance is senseless
2.Idea of substance – combination of many ideas
3.Being or what really exists is either ideas (those which are
perceived) or the spirit or mind (that which actively
perceives).
4.Material Substance does not exist but Spiritual
Substance is the only substance that exists.
5.There are as many worlds as monads or spirits
6.World of Spirits – incorporeal, active substance & spirit.
7.A spirit – is one, undivided & active being.
8.Perceive ideas – called understanding & will.
GEORGE BERKELEY
1.Universal idea of substance is senseless
2.Idea of substance – combination of many ideas
3.Being or what really exists is either ideas (those which are
perceived) or the spirit or mind (that which actively
perceives).
4.Material Substance does not exist but Spiritual
Substance is the only substance that exists.
6.World of Spirits – incorporeal, active substance & spirit.
7.A spirit – is one, undivided & active being.
8.Perceive ideas – called understanding & will.

SPINOZASPINOZA
1.God = sole independent of the substance and outside
of him no substance.
2.The concept of mind and body, thought and
extension are the attributes of God and not independent
of him.
3.God is the cause of everything - both extended and
extended substance and only once substance.
4.God is thought in the human mind & God is all and
all is God.
5.God is single, eternal, infinite, self-caused principle
of nature and of all things.
6.God and the world are equal and one.
7.There is only one substance and the word God is
interchangeable with Nature
DESCARTESDESCARTES
1.God - basic substance of the universe and the relative
substances are mind and body & gives motion to body.
2.God - is self-caused, eternal, all knowing, all powerful,
perfect, truth and creator of all things.
3.God “originally created matter along with the motion and
rest” and God is the prime mover.
4.God independent of Nature.
5.Human will is free but God has knowledge and he can
act and will is influencing the body or other part of bodies
LEIBNIZLEIBNIZ
1.God is an infinite substance which created and
conserves the finite world
2.reality is split into two: God and creation. God is a
substance and He produces finite substances—created
monads
3.God exists and is responsible for creating and
continually conserving everything else.
4.God looks much like you and me; he must have a
capacity for thought and action in order to make his
choices.
5.God is the ultimate do-gooder.
6.A transcendent God, in the other hand, is the transitive
cause of things.
GEORGE BERKELEY
1."External Cause“ - Wills and Thinks.
2.This External Cause is God.
3. Imaginations are caused by us and Sensations are Caused
by God.
4.Nature is construed by Berkeley rather teleological than
mechanistically.
5.For the cause of all the (efficient) causes cannot be found
in causality, but must be searched in God as the ultimate
Cause or Explanation.
6.Being is either perceiving or being perceived.
GEORGE BERKELEY
1."External Cause“ - Wills and Thinks.
2.This External Cause is God.
3. Imaginations are caused by us and Sensations are Caused
by God.
4.Nature is construed by Berkeley rather teleological than
mechanistically.
5.For the cause of all the (efficient) causes cannot be found
in causality, but must be searched in God as the ultimate
Cause or Explanation.
6.Being is either perceiving or being perceived.

SPINOZASPINOZA
1.The entire universe is ONE substance = he called
nature or God.
2.Substance (stuff), (2) attributes = extension & mind
3.Many modes of attributes.
4.God is universe & universe is God.
5.Body & mind are independent.
6.Every object in the universe = part of God (extension
& mind).
7.Anything happens to body it will affect mind &
called “psycho-physical parallelism”.
8.Mind and body are always parallel = two aspects of
one substance.
DESCARTESDESCARTES
1.Universe = (2) substance , Mind & Body
2.Dualism & not satisfied Spinoza.
3.Everything explained mechanically.
4.Substance – exist itself , Mind and Body
5.Both depend on God(absolute substance).
6.Everything in the universe = mode of the substance
which is body.
7.Everything in the universe = some form of modification.
8.Motion = same in the universe & cannot be destroyed.
9.Two-fold nature = dualism
LEIBNIZLEIBNIZ
1.Force – essential attributes of the body.
2.Universe – build by units of force & infinite number of
such units. Called “Monads”.
3.“Monads” – eternal & can’t be destroyed.
4.“Monads”- contains within itself in the universe.
5.Universe – not mechanical but it is dynamic & alive.
6.In the universe – God is clearest “Monad”.
7.He has scientific universe – God supreme being &
Monad.
GEORGE BERKELEY
1.“Can’t prove the concept of the world through philosophy
but through ideas”.
2.No universe of Material Object.
3.The cause of Ideas = is God
4.Nothing in the universe existed unless “perceived”.
5.Material objects – not real but they are ideas.
6.He denied the idea of universe thought by Descartes,
Spinoza & Locke.
7.All that exist is in my mind or in others mind or in God’s
mind – seem to be material but not.
GEORGE BERKELEY
1.“Can’t prove the concept of the world through philosophy
but through ideas”.
2.No universe of Material Object.
3.The cause of Ideas = is God
4.Nothing in the universe existed unless “perceived”.
5.Material objects – not real but they are ideas.
6.He denied the idea of universe thought by Descartes,
Spinoza & Locke.
7.All that exist is in my mind or in others mind or in God’s
mind – seem to be material but not.

SPINOZASPINOZA
1.Teaching of Spinoza – about social contract.
2.In natural state – man has the right to do
anything which is able to do.
3.Destroy others do gain, cheat, lie, or anything
which help him to gain.
4.Conflict will arise and many will destroy.
5.State – to come out with general agreement to
agree to good for all.
6.State – disobedience to the laws set up by
virtue of the social contract is unjust.
7.The just – make social life possible.
HOBBESHOBBES
1.Man – has the right to do anything pleases him.
2.Main urge – is self-preservation.
3.Man – animal who engages in war & seek own gain.
4.Each man will destroy others.
5.Man creates society – gives up rights in many matters to
obtain which they desire.
6.Mutual contract – man transfer power to ruler or
assembly & people must obey.
7.Ruler – will be unjust & people no right to rebel.
8.Absolute monarchy – the best form of government.
9.Ruler – cant force to suicide, murder, confession of
crime. Kings – Gods representative.
THOMAS AQUINASTHOMAS AQUINAS
1.Man – naturally political being & be in society.
2.Monarchy – the best form of government. But
no tyranny.
3.Government – divine origin (changes follow
law)
4.Must leave matters to God – God will work out
good in the end.
5.Church – superior to the state & ruler of the
state obedience to the ruler of the church.
6.Power over people from God thorough Church.
7.Peoples loyalty – to God and Church.
8.State receive power from the Church.
KARL MARX
1.“Fonder of Modern Socialism
2.Focus on the change and better things.
3.One type of society, which appeared good at one
time which would be seen to better – synthesis for
opposites.
4.Society based private property – give way to one
in socialism.
5.One society shifting to other – one society destroy
or conquers others.
6.Conquer become agent of this universal reason.
KARL MARX
1.“Fonder of Modern Socialism
2.Focus on the change and better things.
3.One type of society, which appeared good at one
time which would be seen to better – synthesis for
opposites.
4.Society based private property – give way to one
in socialism.
5.One society shifting to other – one society destroy
or conquers others.
6.Conquer become agent of this universal reason.

THEOLGICO-POLITICAL TREATISE
1. People living very bad lives – but have faith in the Gospels.
2. He examines religion in itself and practice of civil government.
3. Spinoza - turned against the prophets - does not admit that they have knowledge of
nature or the perfections of the Supreme Being.
4. Moses - a jealous, complacent and cruel God.
5. Miracles – found untrue & supernatural phenomenon & in his opinion impossible.
6. Prophets - disturb the natural order and such disturbances are contradictory.
7. Spinoza destroyed all the authority of the Old Testament in a single chapter
8. He said, the work of the authors whose names it bears, so that the Pentateuch, for
instance, is not the work of Moses, but a compilation of ancient texts badly
transcribed by Esdras.
9. The origin of the other sacred books is no more respectable.
10. Thus people against him.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION
Spinoza’s ideology – (God) that he necessarily
exists, that he is one alone, that he is and acts
solely from the necessity of his own nature, that
he is the free cause of all things and how so,
that all things are in God and are so dependent
on him that they can neither be nor be
conceived without him, and lastly, that all things
have been predetermined by God, not from his
free will or absolute pleasure, but from the
absolute nature of God, his infinite power.

SPINOZA'S PHILOSOPHY

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