Spinoza's Proof of God

MC Note:  This is the second entry on Spinoza, the first is Spinoza: The Ethics  

-Spinoza writes his philosophy like a geometrical proof, which is hard and difficult to read, but makes it easier to lay out his path to proof.  It should be noted that his final goal will be a God that is not material or anthropomorphic in any way, but is the Original Essence of all things and the cause of all material things or essences.  I will lay out important elements of his proof first, before explaining how they fit into his larger idea of God. 

First: He lays out definitions of his terms (this should always be done by philosophers, because language is so important, though Spinoza's definitions aren't terribly helpful)

Important Definitions:
Substance - That which is in itself, and is conceived through itself
Attribute - That which the intellect perceives as constituting the essence of nature
Mode - The modifications of substance, or that which exists in, and is conceived through, something other than itself
   
This leads to our first alert (yellow): Don't  think of attributes as the term is sometimes used, like the attribute of having blond hair.  For Spinoza attributes only relate to essences.

Thus:   Attribute = types of essences             

            Mode =  the more material aspects of nature

Second:  He presents logical axioms based off his definitions 

Important Axioms:
1. Everything which exists, exists either in itself or in something else
2. That which cannot be conceived through anything else must be conceived though itself
3. From a given definite cause an effect necessarily follows

Third: He builds propositions and their proofs logically based on the definitions and axioms (this is especially fun when you determine your own definitions and axioms)

I am going to list his first 8 propositions (without the proofs) so an idea can be formed as to his plan here.  Remember that they all build upon one another. (you'll notice "God" is never mentioned):

1. Substance is by nature prior to its modifications
2. Two substances, whose attributes are different, have nothing in common
3. Things which have nothing in common cannot be the cause of the other
4. Two or more distinct things are distinguished one from the other, either by the difference of the attributes of the substances, or by the difference of their modifications. 
5. There cannot exist in the universe two or more substances having the same nature or attribute
6. One substance cannot be produced by another substance
7. Existence belongs to the nature of substance
8. Every substance is necessarily infinite
 
Now at first, this being a proof of God may seem about as intelligible and practical as the Healthy Forest Initiative, but Spinoza will actually make some sense soon.

Here is a visual of how he is trying to establish his substance/God

1. Propositions 1, 2 and 4 are working towards the primacy and uniqueness of substance (or essence).  This can become clearer if we do a little self-reflection.  What is more primary, more a part of who we are, our body or soul?  I would think many people think their essence (call it soul, if you like) is more a determiner of who they are than their body.  That is Prop. 1.  Now think about your soul/essence compared with others'. 

Ponder how unlike your essence is to say,

There may be some similarities, but you essence is all your own, as MJ's is totally his own

This is a good way to think of Prop. 2 and 4, if our attributes and/or modifications aren't the same, then we aren't the same.   

2. Spinoza establishes his primary substance through cause and effect in Prop. 3 and 6.  One substance can't make another if their attributes are different, like how a child must necessarily have genes in common with the parent.  Now abstract that idea into essences. Two things with no attributes the same must be completely different substances, since we saw that substance/essence is the primary determination.  Now, if everything must either exist because of itself or because of its proximate cause, then by cause and effect, there must be an original substance that exists only because of itself and caused all other substances.  The Original Substance had to cause all attributes because there had to be an original cause and that original cause could not make anything with different attributes.   

3. In proving that there can only be 1 substance based on the primacy of essences and cause and effect, it is a good time to show one of Spinoza's proofs :

Prop. 5. There cannot exist in the universe two or more substances having the same nature or attribute
"Proof - If several distinct substances be granted, they must be distinguished one from the other, either by the difference of their attributes, or by the difference of their modifications (Prop. 4).  If only by the difference of their attributes, it will be granted that there cannot be more than one with an identical attribute.  If by the difference of their modifications - as substance is naturally prior to its modifications (Prop. 1) - it follows that setting the modifications aside, and considering substance in itself, that is truly, (Def. 3 and 6), there cannot be conceived one substance different from another, that is there cannot be granted several substances, but one substance only."

Pretty clear!!!  Now a short picture-respite:

-Now that the beautiful sunset has calmed us down (the physics of light reflecting are in God, by the way), let's investigate his claim.  This is where how sums it up:

1. If there cannot be two substances with identical attributes ->
2. and if a substance with certain attributes can't create another with different attributes (like how a woman can't give birth to a dog) ->
3. then since we know substance exists, there must be only 1 substance that exists only in itself (not caused)
4. Because everything must exist only in itself or be caused by something (Axiom 1), this One Substance must be the cause of all further essences ->
5. and therefore all things' essences are in the Original Substance.   

The logic here doesn't seem so bad, does it?

4. In Prop. 7 and 8, Spinoza solidifies that this abstract idea of primary substance/essence actually must exist and must be infinite.  This is done rather simply.  If the One Substance can't be created by anything external, and we know things exist, then this One Substance must exist.   And lets assume there can only be two different types of substances, finite and infinite.  The One Substance must be infinite for nothing else can limit it (create it). 

-There you have it, God has been proved, except that we haven't even mentioned "God".  "God" doesn't come into the picture until Prop. 11, "God, or substance, consisting of infinite attributes, of which each expresses eternal and infinite essentiality, necessarily exists."  So Spinoza kind of deceptively just slipped that little point in there, "Oh yeah, that substance I've been talking about is...God!" 

-Spinoza attempted to prove God that is infinite and exists in the primary essence of all future effects.  Thus, the descriptions in the earlier post about everything being in God.  God's ultimate and infinite essence must necessarily contain all other attributes, and it can be thought that God's influence on modes in the material world is through being the essence of natural laws of nature and the mind.  This original substance is infinite in the greatest sense of the word, everything that exists, essences and material things, whether we can comprehend them or not, are in God's essence.

-Take it all in, Next is Features of Spinoza's God   

Comments

[script]

thats just like your opinion, man. That is what I have to say to Spinoza. Firstly, saying that a substance is infinite doesn't mean anything at all. Nothing is infinite except for nothing. What I mean is: in nature, the only thing that is infinite is the space between matter that cannot be quantified or described and goes on forever. This further proves my point that the substance is in fact the lack of substance, the nothing, the space between the air. In fact that is interesting to think about, air. Air is particles just like solid matter but with more spaces and in between each molecule and with constant motion. I'm not big on metaphysics.

[MC Philo]

Script - Good insights, my young friend. We shall soon get to Sartre where the idea of 'nothingness' will be discussed thoroughly, in a metaphysical sense, though it could be applied to what you are talking about. My direct answer to your statement is that claiming to 'know' actually what is more infinite is dangerous. Also, make sure you don't mix up 'matter' with 'substance'. 'Substance' for Spinoza surely doesnt mean matter. He might say that God includes both matter and the 'nothing' you describe. Parts of your ideas will be discussed in the next post.

(p.s. metaphysics are obvsiouly too meta for you)

[Amanda]

i just want u to know that u are my HERO! thank u so much for laying it all out like that. you made it a lot easier I was ready to rip my hair out!!! :-)

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Spinoza is in a class by himself--an intellectual hero for me. I still remember the typical undergrad paper that I wrote so long ago which, taking Spinoza on his word, used straightforward mathematical substitution of his propositions, definitions and axioms to prove that his proposition of God was exactly equivalent to his definition of Universe. What a fun way to explore metaphysical questions!

Considering the time frame he was working in, I presume he introduced the "God" term into his theory for reasons beyond an epistemological need. After all, the exposition of Universe that he presents is, beyond its rigor, highly enlightening in its own right.

It may be sophomoric for me to admit that after Spinoza, Pantheism seemed not only plausible but also convincingly likely. Yet, from the period that includes Spinoza, Liebniz and Kant, I somehow always preferred Spinoza's metaphysics despite Liebniz's obvious intellectual superiority and Kant's philosophical sophistication.

I didn't mean to get all gushy there...thanks for the article, I enjoyed it and look forward to more!

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Now abstract that idea into essences. Two things with no attributes the same must be completely different substances, since we saw that substance/essence is the primary determination. Now, if everything must either exist because of itself or because of its proximate cause, then by cause and effect, there must be an original substance that exists only because of itself and caused all other substances. The Original Substance had to cause all attributes because there had to be an original cause and that original cause could not make anything with different attributes.

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