CHAPTER XIX- SPINOZA
THE ISSUE IS EPISTEMOLOGICAL--THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MIND AND MATTER
CHAPTER XIX- SPINOZA
THE ISSUE IS EPISTEMOLOGICAL--THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MIND AND MATTER
I. CRITIQUE OF THE BIBLE AS EPISTEMOLOGY?--see the link below to MILTON'S BELIEFS
II. THE WORLD IS IN GOD; NOT A SET OF RIGID DOGMAS
III. THE IDEAS OF SPINOZA: CAN HUMAN LIFE BE SUBJECT TO NATURAL LAW IN TERMS OF CONDUCT?
A. MONIST--REJECTS THE CARTESIAN DUALISM OF MIND AND MATTER
B. ALL IN NATURE IS THOUGHT OR EXTENSION
C. A FLOWER AND A POEM ABOUT A FLOWER ARE BOTH THE EXPRESSION OF SUBSTANCE BUT SEEN FROM A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW.
D. SUBSTANCE CAN ASSUME DIFFERENT MODES
E. THE LAWS OF NATURE: (GOD) DECIDES WHAT WE THINK AND DO--WHAT MODE WE ASSUME...ALL IN THE NATURAL WORLD IS DETERMINED BY NECESSITY--GOD’S WILL
IS THE NATURAL LAW WHICH SAYS THAT X OPERATES ACCORDING TO ITS OWN DYNAMIC--WITH MAN IN DIFFERENT MODES:
1..THOUGHT
2..EXTENSION
IV. OUR PASSIONS PREVENT US FROM ACHIEVING TRUE HARMONY--CAN SUBVERT THE LAWS OF NATURE--THIS IS A KIND OF DETERMINISM SO WHAT WE BECOME IS WHAT GOD HAS DETERMINED OUR NATURE TO BE, SO DOES MAN HAVE FREE WILL?
V. MESSAGE FROM HILDE’S DAD IN THE BANANA-how is this possible?:
A. NOTE THE PERSPECTIVE OF HILDE / SOPHIE IN LIGHT OF PHILOSOPHERS STUDIED?...
B. ARE WE PART OF SOMETHING LARGER?--THIS IS A SUBSTANTATIVE CLUE
C. THE DREAM?
VII. ALBERTO CALLS SOPHIE HILDE AFTER SHE LEAVES
EXERCISE
You have heard the riddle, "IF A TREE FALLS IN THE FOREST AND NO ONE IS AROUND, IS THERE SOUND?"
RECALL THE MEANING OF NECESSITY IN CLASSICAL PHILOSOPHY--CHECK THE LINK ABOVE.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1-CHECK THE SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS SECTION FOR THE FOLLOWING:
MILTON'S BELIEFS--THE PROSE AND POETRY OF MILTON DEFINED THE PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES NOTED BY SPINOZA.
EXCERPTS FROM THE WRITINGS OF SPINOZA
2-BEFORE YOU READ THE EXCERPTS FROM SPINOZA, IT MIGHT BE USEFUL TO VIEW THESE TWO SITES: