Baruch Spinoza

Baruch Spinoza

Philosopher, Rationalist

Baruch Spinoza was a 17th-century philosopher known for his work 'Ethics', which laid the groundwork for modern rationalism and a unique understanding of God and nature.

Men Philosophical Mind Life Thinking Law
Born
November 24, 1632
Died
February 21, 1677
Quotes
223
Rank
#113

Quote collection

Baruch Spinoza quotes (page 8 of 12)

223 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.

Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"Nothing comes to pass in nature, which can be set down to a flaw therein; for nature is always the same, and everywhere one and the same in her efficacy and power of action: that is, nature's laws and ordinances, whereby all things come to pass and change from one form to another, are everywhere and always the same; so that there should be one and the same method of understanding the nature of all things whatsoever, namely, through nature's universal laws and rules."

Nature Law Understanding
Read quote 10 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"Men would never be superstitious, if they could govern all their circumstances by set rules, or if they were always favoured by fortune: but being frequently driven into straits where rules are useless, and being often kept fluctuating pitiably between hope and fear by the uncertainty of fortune's greedily coveted favours, they are consequently for the most part, very prone to credulity."

Men Religion Useless
Read quote 10 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"self-preservation is the primary and only foundation of virtue."

Self Foundation Virtue
Read quote 10 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"Fear cannot be without hope nor hope without fear. [They are the two sides of a coin, so learning how to manage fear through learning, understanding, rationality, controlled imagination, preparation, mental focus (including distraction) and a gratitude attitude is very helpful.]"

Gratitude Attitude Two Sides
Read quote 10 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"He who regulates everything by laws, is more likely to arouse vices than reform them."

Law Liberty Vices
Read quote 9 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"All laws which can be broken without any injury to another, are counted but a laughing-stock, and are so far from bridling the desires and lusts of men, that on the contrary they stimulate them."

Men Law Broken
Read quote 9 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"The human mind cannot be absolutely destroyed along with the body, but something of it remains, which is eternal."

Soul Mind Body
Read quote 9 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"Fame has also this great drawback, that if we pursue it, we must direct our lives so as to please the fancy of men."

Men Fancy Fame
Read quote 9 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"After experience had taught me that all the usual surroundings of social life are vain and futile; seeing that none of the objects of my fears contained in themselves anything either good or bad, except in so far as the mind is affected by them, I finally resolved to inquire whether there might be some real good having power to communicate itself, which would affect the mind singly, to the exclusion of all else: whether, in fact, there might be anything of which the discovery and attainment would enable me to enjoy continuous, supreme, and unending happiness."

Real Discovery Mind
Read quote 9 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"Emotion, which is suffering, ceases to be suffering as soon as we form a clear and precise picture of it."

Suffering Emotion Form
Read quote 9 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"The order and connection of ideas is the same as the order and connection of things."

Order Ideas Connections
Read quote 9 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"There is no fear without some hope, and no hope without some fear."

No Fear No Hope
Read quote 9 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"The things which ... are esteemed as the greatest good of all ... can be reduced to these three headings, to wit : Riches, Fame, and Pleasure. With these three the mind is so engrossed that it cannot scarcely think of any other good."

Thinking Mind Three
Read quote 9 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"The real disturbers of the peace are those who, in a free state, seek to curtail the liberty of judgment which they are unable to tyrannize over."

Real Liberty Judgment
Read quote 9 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"In so far as men are influenced by envy or any kind of hatred, one towards another, they are at variance, and are therefore to be feared in proportion, as they are more powerful than their fellows. Yet minds are not conquered by force, but by love and high-mindedness."

Life Powerful Men
Read quote 9 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"The proper study of a wise man is not how to die but how to live."

Wise Men Atheism
Read quote 9 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"The more a government strives to curtail freedom of speech, the more obstinately is it resisted; not indeed by the avaricious, ... but by those whom good education, sound morality, and virtue have rendered more free."

Government Freedom Of Speech Sound
Read quote 9 likes
Baruch Spinoza Philosopher, Rationalist
Popular

"It is not possible that we should remember that we existed before our body, for our can bear no trace of such existence, neither can eternity be defined in terms of time or have any relation to time. But notwithstanding, we feel and know that we are eternal."

Body Bears Remember
Read quote 9 likes