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1、OntheImprovementoftheUnderstandingOntheImprovementoftheUnderstandingbyBaruchSpinozaTranslatedbyR.H.M.Elwes1OntheImprovementoftheUnderstanding[1](1)Afterexperiencehadtaughtmethatalltheusualsurroundingsofsociallifearevainandfutile;seeingthatnoneoftheobjectsofmyfearscontainedinthemselvesanythingeitherg
2、oodorbad,exceptinsofarasthemindisaffectedbythem,Ifinallyresolvedtoinquirewhethertheremightbesomerealgoodhavingpowertocommunicateitself,whichwouldaffectthemindsingly,totheexclusionofallelse:whether,infact,theremightbeanythingofwhichthediscoveryandattainmentwouldenablemetoenjoycontinuous,supreme,andun
3、endinghappiness.[2](1)Isay"Ifinallyresolved,"foratfirstsightitseemedunwisewillinglytoloseholdonwhatwassureforthesakeofsomethingthenuncertain.(2)Icouldseethebenefitswhichareacquiredthroughfameandriches,andthatIshouldbeobligedtoabandonthequestofsuchobjects,ifIseriouslydevotedmyselftothesearchforsometh
4、ingdifferentandnew.(3)IperceivedthatiftruehappinesschancedtobeplacedintheformerIshouldnecessarilymissit;whileif,ontheotherhand,itwerenotsoplaced,andIgavethemmywholeattention,Ishouldequallyfail.[3](1)Ithereforedebatedwhetheritwouldnotbepossibletoarriveatthenewprinciple,oratanyrateatacertaintyconcerni
5、ngitsexistence,withoutchangingtheconductandusualplanofmylife;withthisendinviewImademanyefforts,invain.(2)Fortheordinarysurroundingsoflifewhichareesteemedbymen(astheiractionstestify)tobethehighestgood,maybeclassedunderthethreeheads-Riches,Fame,andthePleasuresofSense:withthesethreethemindissoabsorbedt
6、hatithaslittlepowertoreflectonanydifferentgood.[4](1)Bysensualpleasurethemindisenthralledtotheextentofquiescence,asifthesupremegoodwereactuallyattained,sothatitisquiteincapableofthinkingofanyotherobject;whensuchpleasurehasbeengratifieditisfollowedbyextrememelancholy,wherebythemind,thoughnotenthralle
7、d,isdisturbedanddulled.(2)Thepursuitofhonorsandrichesislikewiseveryabsorbing,especiallyifsuchobjectsbesoughtsimplyfortheirownsake,[a]inasmuchastheyarethensupposedtoconstitutethehighestgood.2OntheImpro
