,
for if a man should endeavour to preserve his being for the sake of
anything else, the last-named thing would obviously be the basis of
virtue, which, by the foregoing corollary, is absurd. (3) Therefore no
one, &c. Q.E.D.
Prop. [XXVI] Whatsoever we endeavour in obedience to reason
is nothing further than to understand; neither
does the mind, in so far as it makes use of reason,
judge anything to be useful to it, save such
things as are conducive to understanding.
Proof.- (26:1) The effort for self-preservation is nothing else but the
essence of the thing in question (III:[vii] ), which, in so far as it
exists such as it is, is conceived to have force for continuing in
existence (III:[vi] ) and doing such things as necessarily follow from
its given nature (see of Def. of Appetite in III:[De.i] , II:[ix] Note).
(26:2) But the essence of reason is nought else but our mind, in so far
as it clearly and distinctly understands (see the definition in II:[xl]
Note:ii.) ; therefore (III:[xl] ) whatsoever we endeavour in obedience
to reason is nothing else but to understand. (3) Again, since this
effort of the mind wherewith the mind endeavours, in so far as it reasons,
to preserve its own being is nothing else but understanding; this effort
at understanding is ([xxii] Coroll.) the first and single basis of virtue,
nor shall we endeavour to understand things for the sake of any ulterior
object ([xxv] ); on the other hand, the mind, in so far as it reasons,
will not be able to conceive any good for itself, save such things as
are conducive to understanding.
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