Page 12.
'An affect cannot be restrained or neutralized
except by a contrary affect that is stronger than
the affect to be restrained. In other words, Spinoza
recommended that we fight a negative emotion with
an even stronger but positive emotion brought about
by reasoning and intellectual effort. Central to his
thinking was the notion that the subduing of the
passions should be accomplished by reason-induced
emotion and not by pure reason alone.'
Spinoza's opening statement above - is really just -
an objective account of what happens when -
when an affect - an emotion is restrained or neutralized -
it is in Spinoza's terms a scientific account - as
scientific as explaining what happens when water boils
or is cooled
there is no recommendation here - and this is important
to understand regarding Spinoza's ethics - he does not
recommend that you do or don't do anything -
he is not in this sense a moralist
he is not really a prescriptivist - he is - or attempts
to be - certainly wants to be a descriptivist
so if you want to know what the right thing to do is -
don't read Spinoza
if on the other hand you are looking for a dispassionate
account of moral terms and their use - he's your man
Spinoza does not tell you how you should get your pleasure -
he does however present an account of nature of pleasure
Spinoza suggests that what is good is what is useful -
he doesn't tell you what you
should find useful
he can tell you why what you find to be useful is useful -
and why what is not useful is not useful
no recommendations on how you should go about your life
and so when Damasio says Spinoza gives a theory on how
to subdue the passions this is not I think strictly correct
yes Spinoza thinks that not being able to control outside
influences will lead to a loss of power - he gives an
argument
the issue - if you wish to avoid suffering - is to avoid
being a victim of circumstances
for Spinoza this is not about subduing and inducing -
rather understanding
it is in his view - an intellectual endeavour -
knowing the nature of reality and one's place in it
working from adequate ideas
