Spinoza. Nature by the name of God. Part 1

A mysterious philosopher named Spinoza.

That is precisely why effort is necessary.

I was able to encounter this mysterious philosopher named Spinoza through the keyword "despair."
First, I would like to introduce a novel about this Spinoza.
That is "Spinoza's Consulting Room", written by Sosuke Natsukawa.
Of course, Spinoza himself does not appear in this novel.
However, Spinoza's philosophy flows at the foundation of this story.
I will excerpt a passage about Spinoza from the text.

While presenting something like this hopeless fatalism, the interesting thing about Spinoza is that he affirmed human effort.
If everything is already decided, effort should be meaningless, yet he says,
"That is precisely why" effort is necessary.

It is a mysterious passage.
If everything is already decided, there is no point in making an effort, yet Spinoza insists, "Because everything is already decided, effort is necessary."
Hopeless fatalism and the necessity of effort feel like contradictory ideas.
However, it is within this short passage that the essence of Spinoza's philosophy is hidden.

Who is Spinoza?

Spinoza, whose real name was Benedictus de Spinoza, was a 17th-century Dutch rationalist Jewish philosopher.
He was a man of hardship who was excommunicated by the church and made a living as a lens grinder until he died at the age of 44.
As for his works, they were banned or left unfinished, and even his masterpiece, "Ethics," was published only after his death.
It was more than 100 years after his death that his thoughts and writings were re-evaluated and studied again.

In other words, although he is recognized as a philosopher today, Spinoza himself was just a lens grinder during his lifetime.
While receiving much criticism and persecution, he used his advanced skills and concentration to grind lenses, and without bending his own thoughts, he simply continued to clarify his ideas.

There is an interesting anecdote regarding Spinoza.
In the works of Vermeer, famous for "Girl with a Pearl Earring," there is a painting called "The Astronomer."
There is a theory that the model for this painting, generally considered to be the scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, was actually Spinoza.

Spinoza is considered a philosopher, but in reality, I think it is easier to understand him if we recognize him as a scientist or mathematician.
In fact, he has a paper on rainbows and optics called "Algebraic Calculation of the Rainbow."
By grinding lenses, he must have repeatedly thought about rainbows and light as well.

The ethics called "Ethics."

His masterpiece, "Ethics," is overflowing with mathematical elements.
By the way, "Ethics" means ethics.
Like a math book, definitions are presented, followed by axioms, theorems, and proofs that continue endlessly. To use difficult terms, it is argued according to geometric order.
For someone like me who is bad at math, it was completely incompatible.
However, I encountered Koichiro Kokubun's "Spinoza for Beginners", and I was finally able to understand Spinoza's arguments.

Why did Spinoza write "Ethics" using the method of arguing according to geometric order?
In Spinoza's time, God was an absolute existence, and the church's power was very strong.
The reason he was excommunicated from the church was that his arguments contradicted those of the church.

In such an environment, he must have received various criticisms and questions almost every day.
Therefore, by adopting a geometric method, Spinoza likely proceeded with his grounds and proofs in a logical and orderly manner, without yielding to various challenges and without being swayed by his own emotions.
One can feel his extraordinary conviction and effort in "Ethics."

A refreshing breeze.

However, what attracts me to Spinoza is that his conviction and effort do not feel heavy.
Many of his words resonate with us who live in the modern age.
It is strange that even though he is unfolding a perfectly rational argument, a mysterious warmth is conveyed.
I feel that Spinoza's very existence is like a refreshing breeze.

Perhaps he spent his days finding joy in polishing his lenses and his own philosophy.
Perhaps, even amidst various adversities, he continued his efforts to seek the truth and recognized the importance of that effort.
Perhaps he reached the state of mind that making an effort within a fate that cannot be changed is, in the true sense, happiness for human beings.

I would like to interpret the truth that Spinoza pursued in my own way and convey it to you from now on.
I would be happy if you could feel as if a refreshing breeze is blowing through Spinoza's arguments.
Well then, please join me again.

Regarding the images used this time, I have used works by Mai from Mai ∴ Maitaka via [Minna no Photo Gallery]. I would like to express my gratitude. Thank you very much.

https://note.com/imakioa/n/ne8b0097034cb

Magazine【Spinoza. Nature by the name of God.】
I have compiled the posted articles into a magazine.

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