"If the soul is
united with some other thing which is and remains unchangeable, it must
also remain unchangeable and permanent." {56b} "Further, this creative
reason does not at one time think, at another time not think [it thinks
eternally]: and when separated from the body it remains nothing but
what it essentially is: and thus it is alone immortal and eternal. Of
this unceasing work of thought, however, we retain no memory, because
this reason is unaffected by its objects; whereas the receptive, passive
intellect (which is affected) is perishable, and can really think
nothing without the support of the creative intellect." {57a} The third
quotation is from a great philosophic writer, but one to whom perhaps we
should not turn for such a coincidence. "I believe," said Pantagruel,
"that all intellectual souls are exempt from the scissors of Atropos.
They are all immortal." {57b}
I have not tried to write an essay on Spinoza, for in writing an essay
there is a temptation to a consistency and completeness which are
contributed by the writer and are not to be found in his subject.
Pages:
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61