Benedict Spinoza. Pantheism
The key idea of the transcendent is that it goes beyond our understanding.
Pantheism can be seen as a compromise between theism and atheism. Pantheists see divinity in the natural laws and everything that exists, hence the perception of the world as an expression of divine essence.
The wisdom of non-action is sometimes much harder to attain than the obsessive desire to act. The concept of Daoist philosophy "Wu wei" — contemplative passivity or "non-action" — suggests that actions should be natural, effortless, and in harmony with the flow of things.
In Spinoza's ethics and philosophy, where understanding nature and following its laws are key to a harmonious life, the idea is also present that actions should align with the fundamental principles of being. The wisdom of non-action can be understood as a call for deeper self-awareness and recognition of our connection to the world. This does not imply abandoning goals but emphasizes the importance of choosing actions that truly align with our essence and the natural order of things. Thus, the wisdom of non-action can become a source of strength, allowing us to act more consciously and effectively when it is truly needed.
Spinoza's axiom: everything that exists, exists either in itself or in something else. This statement suggests that we can clearly distinguish what exists in itself and what exists in something else, but in reality, it is extremely difficult to determine what is substance and what is not. In the real world, objects and phenomena are so interconnected that dividing them into what exists in itself and what exists in something else oversimplifies and distorts reality.
The attainment of bliss through knowledge can be divided into three stages:
- Imagination or empirical knowledge, based on sensory perceptions, is the lowest level of knowledge and often leads us astray due to the impermanence and subjectivity of our sensations.
- Rational knowledge is based on abstract thinking and deduction, allowing one to reach general laws of nature and the structure of reality.
- Intuitive knowledge represents the highest form of knowledge, where one attains an immediate understanding of the essence of things and the unity with God.
Descartes argues that there are two distinct and fundamentally different substances: thinking and material. This separation allows him to explore issues of mind and consciousness independently of the physical world, emphasizing the autonomy of reason. Spinoza, however, rejects this dualism and introduces the concept of a single substance that manifests through an infinite number of attributes, two of which are accessible to us — "thought" and "extension." For Spinoza, there is no separation between the physical and mental: everything is an expression of the same substance. This substance, or God, is absolutely infinite, self-sufficient, and indivisible.