|
We come now to the consideration of the effects of the
different grades of knowledge, of which we spoke in the
preceding chapter, and, in passing as it were, we shall explain
what Opinion,
Belief,
and clear Knowledge are.
The first [kind of knowledge], then, we call Opinion, the second Belief, but the third is what we call clear Knowledge. [N1] [Note N1]: B omits this sentence. We call it Opinion because it is subject to error, and has no place when we are sure of anything, but only in those cases when we are said to guess and to surmise. The second we call Belief, because the things we apprehend only with our reason are not seen by us, but are only known to us through the conviction of our understanding that it must be so and not otherwise. But we call that clear Knowledge which comes, not from our being convinced by reasons, but from our feeling and enjoying the thing itself, and it surpasses the others by far. After these preliminary remarks let us now turn to their effects. Of these we say this, namely, that from the first proceed all the "passions" which are opposed to good reason; from the second, the good desires; and from the third, true and sincere Love, with all its offshoots. We thus maintain that Knowledge is the proximate cause of all the "passions" in the soul. For we consider it once for all impossible that any one, who neither thinks nor knows in any of the preceding ways and modes, should be capable of being incited to Love or Desire or any other mode of Will. |
|
|
|
|
| Slack padding. |