HOME
Intro. MT ST TEI Ethics TPT Corr. Index PrevPg NextPg
Ethics 1 Ethics 2 Ethics 3 Ethics 4 Ethics 5

Contents - Ethics 1, Concerning God

E1D1 DEF. 1. By that which is self-caused, I mean that of which the essence involves existence, or that of which...
E1D2 DEF. 2. A thing is called finite after its kind, when it can be limited by another thing of the same nature...
E1D3 DEF. 3. By substance, I mean that which is in itself, and is conceived through itself: in other words, that...
E1D4 DEF. 4. By attribute, I mean that which the intellect perceives as constituting the essence of substance.
E1D5 DEF. 5. By mode, I mean the modifications of substance, or that which exists in, and is conceived through,...
E1D6 DEF. 6. By God, I mean a being absolutely infinite--that is, a substance consisting in infinite attributes,...
E1D7 DEF. 7. That thing is called free, which exists solely by the necessity of its own nature, and of which the...
E1D8 DEF. 8. By eternity, I mean existence itself, in so far as it is conceived necessarily to follow solely fro...
E1A1 AXIOM. 1. Everything which exists, exists either in itself or in something else.
E1A2 AXIOM. 2. That which cannot be conceived through anything else must be conceived through itself.
E1A3 AXIOM. 3. From a given definite cause an effect necessarily follows; and, on the other hand, if no definite c...
E1A4 AXIOM. 4. The knowledge of an effect depends on and involves the knowledge of a cause.
E1A5 AXIOM. 5. Things which have nothing in common cannot be understood, the one by means of the other; the concep...
E1A6 AXIOM. 6. A true idea must correspond with its ideate or object.
E1A7 AXIOM. 7. If a thing can be conceived as non-existing its essence does not involve existence.
E1P1 PROP. 1. Substance is by nature prior to its modifications.
E1P2 PROP. 2. Two substances, whose attributes are different, have nothing in common.
E1P3 PROP. 3. Things which have nothing in common cannot be one the cause of the other.
E1P4 PROP. 4. Two or more distinct things are distinguished one from the other, either by the difference of the a...
E1P5 PROP. 5. There cannot exist in the universe two or more substances having the same nature or attribute.
E1P6 PROP. 6. One substance cannot be produced by another substance.
E1P6C PROP. 6, Cor. Hence it follows that a substance cannot be produced by anything external to itself.
E1P7 PROP. 7. Existence belongs to the nature of substance.
E1P8 PROP. 8. Every substance is necessarily infinite.
E1P9 PROP. 9. The more reality or being a thing has the greater the number of its attributes (E1D4).
E1P10 PROP. 10. Each particular attribute of the one substance must be conceived through itself.
E1P11 PROP. 11. God, or substance, consisting of infinite attributes, of which each expresses eternal and infinite...
E1P12 PROP. 12. No attribute of substance can be conceived from which it would follow that substance can be divided...
E1P13 PROP. 13. Substance absolutely infinite is indivisible.
E1P13C PROP. 13, Cor. It follows, that no substance, and consequently no extended substance, in so far as it is substance...
E1P14 PROP. 14. Besides God no substance can be granted or conceived.
E1P14C1 PROP. 14, Cor. 1. Clearly, therefore: 1. God is one, that is (by E1D6) only one substance can be gran...
E1P14C2 PROP. 14, Cor. 2. It follows: 2. That extension and thought are either attributes of God or (by E1A1)...
E1P15 PROP. 15. Whatsoever is, is in God, and without God nothing can be, or be conceived.
E1P16 PROP. 16. From the necessity of the divine nature must follow an infinite number of things in infinite ways--...
E1P16C1 PROP. 16, Cor. 1. Hence it follows, that God is the efficient cause of all that can fall within the sphere of an infi...
E1P16C2 PROP. 16, Cor. 2. It also follows that God is a cause in himself, and not through an accident of his nature.
E1P16C3 PROP. 16, Cor. 3. It follows, thirdly, that God is the absolutely first cause.
E1P17 PROP. 17. God acts solely by the laws of his own nature, and is not constrained by anyone.
E1P17C1 PROP. 17, Cor. 1. It follows: 1. That there can be no cause which, either extrinsically or intrinsically, besides the...
E1P17C2 PROP. 17, Cor. 2. It follows: 2. That God is the sole free cause. For God alone exists by the sole necessity of his n...
E1P18 PROP. 18. God is the indwelling and not the transient cause of all things.
E1P19 PROP. 19. God, and all the attributes of God, are eternal.
E1P20 PROP. 20. The existence of God and his essence are one and the same.
E1P20C1 PROP. 20, Cor. 1. Hence it follows that God's existence, like His essence, is an eternal truth.
E1P20C2 PROP. 20, Cor. 2. Secondly, it follows that God, and all the attributes of God, are unchangeable. For if they could b...
E1P21 PROP. 21. All things which follow from the absolute nature of any attribute of God must always exist and be i...
E1P22 PROP. 22. Whatsoever follows from any attribute of God, in so far as it is modified by a modification, which...
E1P23 PROP. 23. Every mode, which exists both necessarily and as infinite, must necessarily follow either from the...
E1P24 PROP. 24. The essence of things produced by God does not involve existence.
E1P24C PROP. 24, Cor. Hence it follows that God is not only the cause of things coming into existence, but also of their...
E1P25 PROP. 25. God is the efficient cause not only of the existence of things, but also of their essence.
E1P25C PROP. 25, Cor. Individual things are nothing but modifications of the attributes of God, or modes by which the att...
E1P26 PROP. 26. A thing which is conditioned to act in a particular manner, has necessarily been thus conditioned b...
E1P27 PROP. 27. A thing, which has been conditioned by God to act in a particular way, cannot render itself uncondi...
E1P28 PROP. 28. Every individual thing, or everything which is finite and has a conditioned existence, cannot exist...
E1P29 PROP. 29. Nothing in the universe is contingent, but all things are conditioned to exist and operate in a par...
E1P30 PROP. 30. Intellect, in function (actu) finite, or in function infinite, must comprehend the attributes of Go...
E1P31 PROP. 31. The intellect in function, whether finite or infinite, as will, desire, love, etc., should be referr...
E1P32 PROP. 32. Will cannot be called a free cause, but only a necessary cause.
E1P32C1 PROP. 32, Cor. 1. Hence it follows, first, that God does not act according to freedom of the will.
E1P32C2 PROP. 32, Cor. 2. It follows, secondly, that will and intellect stand in the same relation to the nature of God as do...
E1P33 PROP. 33. Things could not have been brought into being by God in any manner or in any order different from t...
E1P34 PROP. 34. God's power is identical with his essence.
E1P35 PROP. 35. Whatsoever we conceive to be in the power of God, necessarily exists.
E1P36 PROP. 36. There is no cause from whose nature some effect does not follow.
E1APND APPENDIX. In the foregoing I have explained the nature and properties of God. I have shown that he necessaril...