Baruch Spinoza Quotes
Baruch Spinoza was a 17th-century Dutch philosopher of Portuguese-Jewish descent, regarded as one of the leading rationalists of the early modern period. His major work, the Ethics, presents a deductive metaphysical system in which God and Nature are identified as a single infinite substance. The quotes below are attributed to Baruch Spinoza, organized by topic.
Baruch Spinoza on Life
-
Attributed to Baruch Spinoza:
“The free man thinks of nothing less than of death, and his wisdom is a meditation, not on death, but on life.”
Baruch Spinoza on Love
-
Attributed to Baruch Spinoza:
“Hatred is increased by being reciprocated, and can on the other hand be destroyed by love.”
-
Attributed to Baruch Spinoza:
“He who lives according to the dictates of reason endeavours, as much as possible, to render back love, or kindness, for other men's hatred, anger, and contempt towards him.”
Baruch Spinoza on Mind
-
Attributed to Baruch Spinoza:
“There can be no hope without fear, and no fear without hope.”
-
Attributed to Baruch Spinoza:
“Will and intellect are one and the same.”
Baruch Spinoza on Nature
-
Attributed to Baruch Spinoza:
“Nothing exists from whose nature some effect does not follow.”
Baruch Spinoza on Politics
-
Attributed to Baruch Spinoza:
“Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.”
Baruch Spinoza on Truth
-
Attributed to Baruch Spinoza:
“He who would distinguish the true from the false must have an adequate idea of what is true and false.”
Baruch Spinoza on Virtue
-
Attributed to Baruch Spinoza:
“Blessedness is not the reward of virtue, but virtue itself.”
-
Attributed to Baruch Spinoza:
“All things excellent are as difficult as they are rare.”