(4) Therefore the knowledge of good and
evil is nothing else but the emotion, in so far as we are conscious
thereof. Q.E.D.
Prop. [IX] An emotion, whereof we conceive the cause to be with
us at the present time, is stronger than if we did
not conceive the cause to be with us.
Proof.- (9:1) Imagination or conception is the idea, by which the mind
regards a thing as present (II:[xvii] note), but which indicates the
disposition of the mind rather than the nature of the external thing
(II:[xvi] Coroll. ii). (2) An emotion is therefore a conception, in so
far as it indicates the disposition of the body. (3) But a conception
(by II:[xvii] ) is stronger, so long as we conceive nothing which excludes
the present existence of the external object; wherefore an emotion is
also stronger or more intense, when we conceive the cause to be with us
at the present time, than when we do not conceive the cause to be with us.
Q.E.D.
Note.- (9:4) When I said above in III:[xviii] that we are affected by
the image of what is past or future with the same emotion as if the thing
conceived were present, I expressly stated, that this is only true in so
far as we look solely to the image of the thing in question itself ; for
the thing's nature is unchanged, whether we have conceived it or not; I
did not deny that the image becomes weaker, when we regard as present to
us other things which exclude the present existence of the future object:
I did not expressly call attention to the fact, because I purposed to
treat of the strength of the emotions in this part of my work.
Pages:
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253