If men were born free, they would, so long as they remained free, form no conception of good and evil.

Quote by Baruch Spinoza

Topics: Baruch Spinoza Quotes

Ambition is the immoderate desire for power.

Ambition is the immoderate desire for power.

So long as a man imagines that he cannot do this or that, so long...

So long as a man imagines that he cannot do this or that, so long...

The greatest pride, or the greatest despondency, is the greatest ignorance of one's self.

The greatest pride, or the greatest despondency, is the greatest ignorance of one's self.

All things excellent are as difficult as they are rare.

All things excellent are as difficult as they are rare.

True virtue is life under the direction of reason.

True virtue is life under the direction of reason.

All happiness or unhappiness solely depends upon the quality of the object to which we...

All happiness or unhappiness solely depends upon the quality of the object to which we...

The endeavor to understand is the first and only basis of virtue.

The endeavor to understand is the first and only basis of virtue.

Be not astonished at new ideas; for it is well known to you that a...

Be not astonished at new ideas; for it is well known to you that a...

Happiness is a virtue, not its reward.

Happiness is a virtue, not its reward.

Men govern nothing with more difficulty than their tongues, and can moderate their desires more...

Men govern nothing with more difficulty than their tongues, and can moderate their desires more...

We feel and know that we are eternal

We feel and know that we are eternal

I do not know how to teach philosophy without becoming a disturber of established religion

I do not know how to teach philosophy without becoming a disturber of established religion

Blessedness is not the reward of virtue but virtue itself.

Blessedness is not the reward of virtue but virtue itself.

I have made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn...

I have made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn...

Pride is pleasure arising from a man's thinking too highly of himself.

Pride is pleasure arising from a man's thinking too highly of himself.

How would it be possible if salvation were ready to our hand, and could without...

How would it be possible if salvation were ready to our hand, and could without...

Do not weep; do not wax indignant. Understand.

Do not weep; do not wax indignant. Understand.

Will and intellect are one and the same thing.

Will and intellect are one and the same thing.

For peace is not mere absence of war, but is a virtue that springs from,...

For peace is not mere absence of war, but is a virtue that springs from,...

Self-complacency is pleasure accompanied by the idea of oneself as cause.

Self-complacency is pleasure accompanied by the idea of oneself as cause.