(4:6) Therefore, if it be possible, that man should
not be capable of undergoing any changes, save such as can be explained
solely through his own nature, and consequently that he must always
(we have shown) necessarily exist; such a result must follow from the
infinite power of God, and consequently (I:[xvi] ) from the necessity of
the divine nature, in so far as it is regarded as affected by the idea of
any given man, the whole order of nature as conceived under the attributes
of extension and thought must be deducible. (4:7) It would therefore
follow (I:[xxi] ) that man is infinite, which (by the first part of this
proof) is absurd. (8) It is, therefore, impossible, that man should not
undergo any changes save those whereof he is the adequate cause. Q.E.D.
Corollary.- (4:9) Hence it follows, that man is necessarily always a prey
to his passions, that he follows and obeys the general order of nature,
and that he accommodates himself thereto, as much as the nature of things
demands.
Prop. [V] The power and increase of every passion, and its
persistence in existing are not defined by the
power, whereby we ourselves endeavour to persist
in existing, but by the power of an external cause
compared with our own.
Proof.- (5:1) The essence of a passion cannot be explained through our
essence alone (III:[De.
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