A Perspectival Reading of Spinoza's Essence-Existence Distinction
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 9689288 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Florian Vermeiren (0000-0002-9488-3259, KU Leuven, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 157-175 |
| Publication date | 2023-04-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Dialogue (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0012-2173 • E-ISSN: 1759-0949 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s0012217322000403 |
| OpenAlex | W4311720766 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 21 |
This article examines the essence-existence distinction in Spinoza's theory of modes. This distinction is commonly made in two ways. First, essence and existence are separated by cause. Essences are understood to follow vertically from the essence of God, while existence follows horizontally from other modes. I present textual and systematic arguments against such a causal bifurcation. Second, essence and existence are distinguished by their temporal nature. Essence is eternal. Existence is durational. However, in several passages, Spinoza writes that eternity and duration constitute two ways of understanding nature rather than two really distinct aspects of nature
Epistemology · Eternity · Existence of God · Linguistics · Reading (process) · Medieval and Classical Philosophy · Philosophy · Political Theology and Sovereignty · Seventeenth-Century Political and Philosophical Thought
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,67 |
| Citation span | 2023 - 2024 (2) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |