(6) Now desire is each man's essence or nature, in so far as it is
conceived as determined to a particular action by any given modification
of itself ([ix] note); therefore, according as a man is affected
through external causes by this or that kind of pleasure, pain, love,
hatred, &c., in other words, according as his nature is disposed in
this or that manner, so will his desire be of one kind or another, and
the nature of one desire must necessarily differ from the nature of
another desire, as widely as the emotions differ, wherefrom each desire
arose. (56:7) Thus there are as many kinds of desire, as there are
kinds of pleasure, pain, love, &c., consequently (by what has been shown)
there are as many kinds of desire, as there are kinds of objects whereby
we are affected. Q.E.D.
Note.- (56:8) Among the kinds of emotions, which, by the last proposition,
must be very numerous, the chief are luxury, drunkenness, lust, avarice,
and ambition, being merely species of love or desire, displaying the
nature of those emotions in a manner varying according to the object,
with which they are concerned. (9) For by luxury, drunkenness, lust,
avarice, ambition, &c., we simply mean the immoderate love of feasting,
drinking, venery, riches, and fame. (56:10 )Furthermore, these emotions,
in so far as we distinguish them from others merely by the objects
wherewith they are concerned, have no contraries.
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