A Brief Explanation of Spinoza's Metaphysics

1. “Unaquæqueres,quantum
in se est, insuoesse
persverareconatur”
“Eachthing, as far as it can by its
power, persevere in its being”
-Baruch (Benedict) de Spinoza
http://www.utm.edu/research/iep-wp/wp-content/media/spinoza.jpg
Striveto Survive
A Speculative Study on Spinoza’s
Metaphysics
By
Calongcagon, John

2. “ E A C H T H I N G , A S F A R A S I T C A N B Y I T S P O W E R , P E R S E V E R E I N I T S
B E I N G ”
- B A R U C H ( B E N E D I C T ) D E S P I N O Z A
STRIVE TO SURVIVE

3. S U B S TA N C E , AT T R I B U T E S , M O D E S
BASIC METAPHYSICAL
PICTURE

4. SUBSTANCE
•E1d3: By Substance I
understand what is in itself and is
conceived through itself, that is,
that whose concept does not
require the concept of another
thing, from which it must be
formed.

5. MODES
•By mode I understand; a state of
substance, i.e. something that
exist in and is conceived through
something else.

6. ATTRIBUTES
•E1d4: By attribute I
understand what the
intellect perceives of a
substance as constituting its
essence.

7. G O D I S T H E O N LY E X I S T I N G S U B S TA N C E
SUBSTANCE MONISM

8. SUBSTANCE MONISM
1. Every substance has at least one attribute.(E1d4)
2. Two substances cannot share the same nature or
attribute. (E1p5)
3. God has all possible attributes.(E1d6)
4. God exist. (E1p11)
5. Therefore, no other substance other than God can
exist. (E1p14)

9. E V E RY T H I N G I S I N G O D
MODAL SYSTEM

10. MODAL SYSTEM
•E1p15: Whatever exists is in
God and nothing can exist or
be conceived without God

11. TWO TYPES OF MODES

12. INFINITE AND ETERNAL
•Universal features of reality which
follows from the absolute nature
of one or another of God’s
attributes.
•Examples include motion and rest
under extension an infinite idea
under thoughts

13. FINITE AND TEMPORAL
•Singular things that populate the
universe which follows from God’s
attribute as it is modified by
modification that is itself finite and
temporal.
•Examples include individual body
under extension and individual
idea under thought.

14. E A C H T H I N G , A S FA R A S I T C A N B Y I T S P O W E R ,
P E R S E V E R E I N I T S B E I N G
CONATUS

15. CONATUS
•Everything that exist—every
particle, rock, plant, animal
planet, solar system, idea,
mind, etc.—is striving to
survive

16. PURPOSIVE ACTION
•The earth is not created and
existing so that we may live on
it. The universe is not
designed for our good.
Everything has no purpose;
everything simply exists.

17. CONCLUSION
• The summary of Spinoza’s metaphysics can be
done easily. First his Substance Monism theory
states that there is only one absolutely infinite
substance in which is God and that everything
(extension or thought) follow his existence as
per his notion of modal system. And the
existence of things is not based on a certain
predetermined plan or purposive action rather
everything exists due to its necessity to exist and
a thing’s essence is how it strives to survive