Spinoza on teleology, value, and the unity of mind

Charles Jarrett

pp. 131-149

in: Jon Miller (ed), Topics in early modern philosophy of mind, Berlin, Springer, 2009

Abstract

Spinoza seems to think that we are purposive beings in a purposeless world.God created the world, not in order to achieve anything,¹ but out of necessity.² So the world necessarily exists, but it is not "for anything." It is thus not "for us." In plain terms, it has no point and no direction. It is "going nowhere."

Cited authors

Spinoza Baruch