按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
as being without the idea； which excludes the existence of such
things as it imagines to be present to it。 If the mind； while
imagining non…existent things as present to it； is at the same
time conscious that they do not really exist； this power of
imagination must be set down to the efficacy of its nature； and
not to a fault； especially if this faculty of imagination depend
solely on its own naturethat is （I。 Def。 vii。）； if this
faculty of imagination be free。
XVIII。 If the human body has once been affected by two or more
bodies at the same time； when the mind afterwards imagines any
of them； it will straightway remember the others also。
》》》》》ProofThe mind （II。 xvii。 Cor。） imagines any given body；
because the human body is affected and disposed by the
impressions from an external body； in the same manner as it is
affected when certain of its parts are acted on by the said
external body； but （by our hypothesis） the body was then so
disposed； that the mind imagined two bodies at once； therefore；
it will also in the second case imagine two bodies at once； and
the mind； when it imagines one； will straightway remember the
other。 Q。E。D。
*****NoteWe now clearly see what 'Memory' is。 It is simply a
certain association of ideas involving the nature of things
outside the human body； which association arises in the mind
according to the order and association of the modifications
（affectiones） of the human body。 I say； first； it is an
association of those ideas only； which involve the nature of
things outside the human body： not of ideas which answer to the
nature of the said things： ideas of the modifications of the
human body are； strictly speaking （II。 xvi。）； those which
involve the nature both of the human body and of external bodies。
I say； secondly； that this association arises according to the
order and association of the modifications of the human body； in
order to distinguish it from that association of ideas； which
arises from the order of the intellect； whereby the mind
perceives things through their primary causes； and which is in
all men the same。 And hence we can further clearly understand；
why the mind from the thought of one thing； should straightway
arrive at the thought of another thing； which has no similarity
with the first； for instance； from the thought of the word
'pomum' （an apple）； a Roman would straightway arrive at the
thought of the fruit apple； which has no similitude with the
articulate sound in question； nor anything in common with it；
except that the body of the man has often been affected by these
two things； that is； that the man has often heard the word
'pomum；' while he was looking at the fruit； similarly every man
will go on from one thought to another； according as his habit
has ordered the images of things in his body。 For a soldier；
for instance； when he sees the tracks of a horse in sand； will
at once pass from the thought of a horse to the thought of a
horseman； and thence to the thought of war； &c。； while a
countryman will proceed from the thought of a horse to the
thought of a plough； a field； &c。 Thus every man will follow
this or that train of thought； according as he has been in the
habit of conjoining and associating the mental images of things
in this or that manner。
XIX。 The human mind has no knowledge of the body； and does not
know it to exist； save through the ideas of the modifications
whereby the body is affected。
》》》》》ProofThe human mind is the very idea or knowledge of the
human body （II。 xiii。）； which （II。 ix。） is in God； in so far as
he is regarded as affected by another idea of a particular thing
actually existing： or； inasmuch as （Post。 iv。） the human body
stands in need of very many bodies whereby it is； as it were；
continually regenerated； and the order and connection of ideas
is the same as the order and connection of causes （II。 vii。）；
this idea will therefore be in God； in so far as he is regarded
as affected by the ideas of very many particular things。 Thus
God has the idea of the human body； or knows the human body； in
so far as he is affected by very many other ideas； and not in so
far as he constitutes the nature of the human mind； that is （by
II。 xi。 Cor。）； the human mind does not know the human body。 But
the ideas of the modifications of body are in God； in so far as
he constitutes the nature of the human mind； or the human mind
perceives those modifications （II。 xii。）； and consequently （II。
xvi。） the human body itself； and as actually existing； therefore
the mind perceives thus far only the human body。 Q。E。D。
XX。 The idea or knowledge of the human mind is also in God；
following in God in the same manner； and being referred to God
in the same manner； as the idea or knowledge of the human body。
》》》》》ProofThought is an attribute of God （II。 i。）； therefore
（II。 iii。） there must necessarily be in God the idea both of
thought itself and of all its modifications； consequently also
of the human mind （II。 xi。）。 Further； this idea or knowledge of
the mind does not follow from God； in so far as he is infinite；
but in so far as he is affected by another idea of an individual
thing （II。 ix。）。 But （II。 vii。） the order and connection of
ideas is the same as the order and connection of causes；
therefore this idea or knowledge of the mind is in God and is
referred to God； in the same manner as the idea or knowledge of
the body。 Q。E。D。
XXI。 This idea of the mind is united to the mind in the same way
as the mind is united to the body。
》》》》》ProofThat the mind is united to the body we have shown
from the fact； that the body is the object of the mind （II。 xii。
and xiii。）； and so for the same reason the idea of the mind must
be united with its object； that is； with the mind in the same
manner as the mind is united to the body。 Q。E。D。
*****NoteThis proposition is comprehended much more clearly
from what we have said in the note to II。 vii。 We there showed
that the idea of body and body； that is； mind and body （II。
xiii。）； are one and the same individual conceived now under the
attribute of thought； now under the attribute of extension；
wherefore the idea of the mind and the mind itself are one and
the same thing； which is conceived under one and the same
attribute； namely； thought。 The idea of the mind； I repeat； and
the mind itself are in God by the same necessity and follow from
him from the same power of thinking。 Strictly speaking； the
idea of the mind； that is； the idea of an idea； is nothing but
the distinctive quality （forma） of the idea in so far as it is
conceived as a mode of thought without reference to the object；
if a man knows anything； he； by that very fact； knows that he
knows it； and at the same time knows that he knows that he knows
it； and so on to infinity。 But I will treat of this hereafter。
XXII。 The human mind perceives not only the modifications of the
body； but also the ideas of such modifications。
》》》》》ProofThe ideas of the ideas of modifications follow in God
in the same manner； and are referred to God in the same manner；
as the ideas of the said modifications。 This is proved in the
same way as II。 xx。 But the ideas of the modifications of the
body are in the human mind （II。 xii。）； that is； in God； in so
far as he constitutes the essence of the human mind； therefore
the ideas of these ideas will be in God； in so far as he has the
knowledge or idea of the human mind； that is （II。 xxi。）； they
will be in the human mind itself； which therefore perceives not
only the modifications of the body； but also the ideas of such
modifications。 Q。E。D。
XXIII。 The mind does not know itself； except in so far as it
perceives the ideas of the modifications of the body。
》》》》》ProofThe idea or knowledge of the mind （II。 xx。） follows
in God in the same manner； and is referred to God in the same
manner； as the idea or knowledge of the body。 But since （II。
xix。） the human mind does not know the human body itself； that is
（II。 xi。 Cor。）； since the knowledge of the human body is not
referred to God； in so far as he constitutes the nature of the
human mind； therefore； neither is the knowledge of the mind
referred to God； in so far as he constitutes the e