The Role of the Intellectual Love of God on Human’s Life according to Spinoza

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Razi university, Iran

2 M.A Student of Philosophy, Razi university, Iran

10.22061/orj.2024.2065

Abstract

In the preface to the second part of his book Ethics, Spinoza claims that he intends to deal with matters that lead to the knowledge of human highest happiness. At the end of the book, he declares that happiness is an intellectual love for God. Since the love of God is considered the highest human happiness according to Spinoza, it is necessary to understand what he means by the concept of divine love. In the third part of the book, he analyzes human emotions to explain human happiness and freedom, and defines love as a pleasure that is to consider together with its cause. He thinks that when we achieve intuitive knowledge, i.e. knowledge of God, we may experience an intellectual love for God. In addition to being the basis of human happiness, this love also affects the quality of his life. This article explains the nature of the emotion of intellectual love for God and its moral and social functions according to Spinoza, and has come to the conclusion that this love leads to the releasing of human beings from the suffering caused by passivity, attaining peace of mind, achieving virtue and happiness and observing death unimportant and being not afraid of it.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Ontological Researches
Volume 12, Issue 24
March 2024
Pages 731-709

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