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1、OntheImprovementoftheUnderstandingOntheImprovementoftheUnderstandingbyBaruchSpinozaTranslatedbyR.H.M.Elwes1OntheImprovementoftheUnderstanding[1](1)Afterexperiencehadtaughtmethatalltheusualsurroundingsofsociallifearevainandfutile;seeingthatnoneoftheobjectsofmyfearscontainedinthemselvesany
2、thingeithergoodorbad,exceptinsofarasthemindisaffectedbythem,Ifinallyresolvedtoinquirewhethertheremightbesomerealgoodhavingpowertocommunicateitself,whichwouldaffectthemindsingly,totheexclusionofallelse:whether,infact,theremightbeanythingofwhichthediscoveryandattainmentwouldenablemetoenjoy
3、continuous,supreme,andunendinghappiness.[2](1)Isay"Ifinallyresolved,"foratfirstsightitseemedunwisewillinglytoloseholdonwhatwassureforthesakeofsomethingthenuncertain.(2)Icouldseethebenefitswhichareacquiredthroughfameandriches,andthatIshouldbeobligedtoabandonthequestofsuchobjects,ifIseriou
4、slydevotedmyselftothesearchforsomethingdifferentandnew.(3)IperceivedthatiftruehappinesschancedtobeplacedintheformerIshouldnecessarilymissit;whileif,ontheotherhand,itwerenotsoplaced,andIgavethemmywholeattention,Ishouldequallyfail.[3](1)Ithereforedebatedwhetheritwouldnotbepossibletoarrivea
5、tthenewprinciple,oratanyrateatacertaintyconcerningitsexistence,withoutchangingtheconductandusualplanofmylife;withthisendinviewImademanyefforts,invain.(2)Fortheordinarysurroundingsoflifewhichareesteemedbymen(astheiractionstestify)tobethehighestgood,maybeclassedunderthethreeheads-Riches,Fa
6、me,andthePleasuresofSense:withthesethreethemindissoabsorbedthatithaslittlepowertoreflectonanydifferentgood.[4](1)Bysensualpleasurethemindisenthralledtotheextentofquiescence,asifthesupremegoodwereactuallyattained,sothatitisquiteincapableofthinkingofanyotherobject;whensuchpleasurehasbeengr
7、atifieditisfollowedbyextrememelancholy,wherebythemind,thoughnotenthralled,isdisturbedanddulled.(2)Thepursuitofhonorsandrichesislikewiseveryabsorbing,especiallyifsuchobjectsbesoughtsimplyfortheirownsake,[a]inasmuchastheyarethensupposedtoconstitutethehighestgood.2OntheImpro
