Prop. [XXVII] We know nothing to be certainly good or
evil, save such things as really conduce
to understanding, or such as are able to
hinder us from understanding.
Proof.- (27:1) The mind, in so far as it reasons, desires nothing beyond
understanding, and judges nothing to be useful to itself, save such
things as conduce to understanding (by the foregoing Prop.). (2) But
the mind (II:[xli] & Note) cannot possess certainty concerning anything,
except in so far as it has adequate ideas, or (what by II:[xl] Note, is
the same thing) in so far as it reasons. (3) Therefore we know nothing
to be good or evil save such things as really conduce, &c. Q.E.D.
Prop. [XXVIII] The mind's highest good is the knowledge
of God, and the mind's highest virtue is
to know God.
Proof.- (28:1) The mind is not capable of understanding anything higher
than God, that is (I:[D.vi] ), than a Being absolutely infinite, and
without which (I:[xv] ) nothing can either be or be conceived; therefore
([xxvi] & [xxvii] ), the mind's highest utility or ([D.i] ) good is
the knowledge of God. (2) Again, the mind is active, only in so far as
it understands, and only to the same extent can it be said absolutely to
act virtuously. (3) The mind's absolute virtue is therefore to understand.
(28:4) Now, as we have already shown, the highest that the mind can
understand is God; therefore the highest virtue of the mind is to
understand or to know God.
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