IV-XXVIII. The mind's highest good is the knowledge of God, and the mind's highest virtue is to know God.

The EthicsBenedict de Spinoza

PROP. XXVIII. The mind’s highest good is the knowledge of God, and the mind’s highest virtue is to know God.

Proof.—The mind is not capable of understanding anything higher than God, that is (I. Def. vi.), than a Being absolutely infinite, and without which (I. xv.) nothing can either be or be conceived; therefore (IV. xxvi. and xxvii.), the mind’s highest utility or (IV. Def. i.) good is the knowledge of God. Again, the mind is active, only in so far as it understands, and only to the same extent can it be said absolutely to act virtuously. The mind’s absolute virtue is therefore to understand. Now, as we have already shown, the highest that the mind can understand is God; therefore the highest virtue of the mind is to understand or to know God. Q.E.D.



Subscribe to The Empty Robot

Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox



Spread the word: