Study of the Ethics of Spinoza (Ethica Ordine Geometrico Demonstrata)

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. In the desire to avoid needless obscurity I have sometimes passed over the views of well-known commentators in silence, and I hope this omission will not be attributed either to ignorance or to conceit. Wherever it was possible for me to trace a creditor I have acknowledged my debts, and in the appended list of References and Abbrevia tions' I have mentioned those commentaries which have helped me most. In common with all English students of Spinoza, I am greatly indebted to the works of Sir Frederick Pollock, the late Principal Caird, and the late Dr. Martineau; and my obligation does not end where my interpretation differs from theirs. But, so far as I am aware, no English book appeals only to readers who wish to make a special study of Spinoza's philosophy; and I venture to publish this attempt at a critical exposition of the Ethics in the hope that, whatever its shortcomings, it may help to fill a gap. I owe the interpretation of two of Spinoza's geometrical illustrations (below, p. 32 note 2 and p. 223 note 2) to the kind help of my colleague.