Deus, sive Natura
Commenting on Spinoza's The Ethics, the masterwork of this 17th century rationalist, historian Will Durant begins;
"Page one plunges us at once into the maelstrom of metaphysics. Our modern hard-headed (or is it soft-headed?) abhorrence of metaphysics captures us, and for a moment we wish we were anywhere except in Spinoza. But then metaphysics, as William James said, is nothing but an attempt to think things out clearly to their ultimate significance, to find their substantial essence in the scheme of reality,—or, as Spinoza puts it, their essential substance; and thereby to unify all truth and reach that “highest of all generalizations” which, even to the practical Englishman, constitutes philosophy 36. Science itself, which so superciliously scorns metaphysics, assumes a metaphysic in its every thought. It happens that the metaphysic, which it assumes, is the metaphysic of Spinoza."
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posted by Arthur Josephson @ 1:12 PM
2 Comments:
Three days; Hesse, Rumi, and Spinoza.
"Stay with friends who support you in these.
Talk with them about sacred texts,
and how you're doing, and how they're doing,
and keep your practices together."
- Rumi
Cheers brother.
About time I should thank Andy and his German MC team in 04 for introducing me to Hesse, wikipedia for helping me stumble upon Spinoza, and you for bringing Rumi to me /me to Rumi. Many thanks brother.
"The way is full of genuine sacrifice.
The thickets blocking your path are anything
that keeps you from that, any fear that you may be broken
into bits like a glass bottle.
"This road demands courage and stamina, yet it's full of
footprints!
Who are these companions?
They are rungs in your ladder. Use them!
With company you quicken your ascent.
You may be happy enough going along, but with others
you'll get farther, and faster."
- Rumi
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