Ethics — Part 4

by Benedictus de Spinoza

Note.- He who chooses to avenge wrongs with hatred is assuredly, wretched. But he, who strives to conquer hatred with love, fights his battle in joy and confidence; he withstands many as easily as one, and has very little need of fortune's aid. Those whom he vanquishes yield joyfully, not through failure, but through increase in their powers; all these consequences follow so plainly from the mere definitions of love and understanding, that I have no need to prove them in detail.

Prop. XLVII. Emotions of hope and fear cannot be in themselves good.

Proof.- Emotions of hope and fear cannot exist without pain. For fear is pain (Def. of the Emotions:xiii.), and hope (Def. of the Emotions, Explanation xii. and xiii.) cannot exist without fear; therefore (IV. xli.) these emotions cannot be good in themselves, but only in so far as they can restrain excessive pleasure (IV:xliii.). Q.E.D.

Note.- We may add, that these emotions show defective knowledge and an absence of power in the mind; for the same reason confidence, despair, joy, and disappointment are signs of a want of mental power. For although confidence and joy are pleasurable emotions, they, nevertheless imply a preceding, pain, namely, hope and fear. Wherefore the more we endeavour to be guided by reason, the less do we depend on hope; we endeavour to free ourselves from fear, and, as far as we can, to dominate fortune, directing our actions by the sure counsels of wisdom.

Prop. XLVIII. The emotions of over-esteem and disparagement are always bad.

Proof.- These emotions (see Def. of the Emotions, xxi., xxii.) are repugnant to reason; and are therefore (IV. xxvi., IV:xxvii.) bad. Q.E.D.

Prop. XLIX. Over-esteem is apt to render its object proud.

Proof.- If we see that any one rates us too highly, for love's sake, we are apt to become elated (III:xli.), or to be pleasurably affected Def. of the Emotions:xxx.); the good which we hear of ourselves we readily believe (III:xxv.); and therefore, for love's sake, rate ourselves too highly; in other words, we are apt to become proud. Q.E.D.

Prop. L. Pity, in a man who lives under the guidance of reason, is in itself bad and useless.

Proof.- Pity (Def. of the Emotions:xviii.) is a pain, and therefore (IV:xli.) is in itself bad. The good effect which follows, namely, our endeavour to free the object of our pity from misery, is an action which we desire to do solely at the dictation of reason (IV:xxxvii.); only at the dictation of reason are we able to perform any action, which we know for certain to be good (IV:xxvii.); thus, in a man who lives under the guidance of reason, pity in itself is useless and bad. Q.E.D.