SpinozaBerkeley Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

de SpinozaBerkeley - Essay ExampleInfinite substance is indivisible in Spinozas view. He argues that if infinite substance were divisible then it could each be divided into two finite parts or it could be divided into two equ every(prenominal)y infinite parts both of them being impossible. This proves that on that point is only one infinite substance and Spinoza believes that to be perfection (13). Since God is infinite substance, every being in existence has its being in God and nothing can exist without God (9). He proves that God is infinite substance and that no other substance exists outside of God. Thus Spinoza claims that God is present in all things God is omnipotent.Spinoza argues that the will is the same as the intellect and in God, intellect is actual. God can find of infinite number of things in infinite number of ways. This infinite intellect of God comprehends all of Gods attributes. All ideas be present in the intellect of God and the human mind is a part of the infinite intellect of God (13). Therefore, Spinoza maintains that ideas are adequate and true as long as they describe to God and reflect the essence of God. He also maintains that ideas that logically follow from such adequate ideas will remain adequate as well. Since adequate ideas mustiness necessarily represent the essence of God, the idea of any substances actual existence must also come from God. In this case, the human mind must be capable of knowing God and Gods infinite essence.SpSpinoza explains that the human mind may have both adequate and inadequate ideas. Adequate ideas are instance to reason whereas inadequate ideas are subject to emotions. There are three primary emotions from which all other emotions are derived - desire, pleasure and pain. Desire may go on from either pleasure or pain, pleasure arises from a passing from a lesser to a greater state of perfection and pain from a transition from greater to lesser state of perfection. For Spinoza, perfection is re ality and since is God is absolutely perfect, he is also absolutely real (14).Spinoza argues that knowledge of good and perversive comes from awareness of what causes pleasure and pain. The greatest good of the mind and the greatest faithfulness it can hold is to know God. To act with virtue is to act with reason and emancipation is the ability to act with reason. Freedom is the ability to act rationally and to control emotions not to subject to emotions and make free undetermined choices. Spinoza agrees that all emotions subscribe to not conflict with reason. Emotions that compliment reason causes pleasure whereas pain is caused by emotions that conflict reason (12). Adequate ideas reflect the infinite essence of God and they are subject to reason. Acting with reason causes pleasure and spreads goodness to all. incompetent ideas do not express the essence of God and thus, knowledge of evil is inadequate knowledge. Inadequate knowledge thus causes pain. According to Spinoza, re ason can control emotions and to live freely one must not be in servitude to emotions. Reason is virtue and virtue is the knowledge of God and thus, Spinoza proves that the better control one exhibits over ones emotions, the better one can understand God (12). In Spinozas view, all ideas are found in god and only those ideas that truly reflect the essence and knowledge of God are adequate and only those ideas provide exemption to the human mind.Berkeleys book Three Dialogues between Hylas and Philonous is broken into three separate sections, or dialogues. Through the first dialogue he tries to