Peace is not the absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition of benevolence, confidence, justice.
BARUCH SPINOZAPeace is not the absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition of benevolence, confidence, justice.
BARUCH SPINOZAPride is pleasure arising from a man’s thinking too highly of himself.
BARUCH SPINOZAMen are mistaken in thinking themselves free; their opinion is made up of consciousness of their own actions, and ignorance of the causes by which they are determined.
BARUCH SPINOZABe not astonished at new ideas; for it is well known to you that a thing does not therefore cease to be true because it is not accepted by many.
BARUCH SPINOZAThe highest activity a human being can attain is learning for understanding, because to understand is to be free.
BARUCH SPINOZAHe who seeks equality between unequals seeks an absurdity.
BARUCH SPINOZAEmotion, which is suffering, ceases to be suffering as soon as we form a clear and precise picture of it.
BARUCH SPINOZAHappiness is a virtue, not its reward.
BARUCH SPINOZANature offers nothing that can be called this man’s rather than another’s; but under nature everything belongs to all.
BARUCH SPINOZAMen govern nothing with more difficulty than their tongues, and can moderate their desires more than their words.
BARUCH SPINOZAA free man thinks of nothing less than of death, and his wisdom is a meditation, not on death, but on life.
BARUCH SPINOZAThe mind of God is all the mentality that is scattered over space and time, the diffused consciousness that animates the world.
BARUCH SPINOZAI would warn you that I do not attribute to nature either beauty or deformity, order or confusion. Only in relation to our imagination can things be called beautiful or ugly, well-ordered or confused.
BARUCH SPINOZAAll things excellent are as difficult as they are rare.
BARUCH SPINOZAThe world would be happier if men had the same capacity to be silent that they have to speak.
BARUCH SPINOZAReason is no match for passion.
BARUCH SPINOZA