The points to note concerning shame (pudor) may easily be inferred
from what was said on the subject of mercy and repentance. I will only
add that shame, like compassion, though not a virtue, is yet good, in so
far as it shows, that the feeler of shame is really imbued with the
desire to live honourably; in the same way as suffering is good, as
showing that the injured part is not mortified. Therefore, though a man
who feels shame is sorrowful, he is yet more perfect than he, who is
shameless, and has no desire to live honourably.
Such are the points which I undertook to remark upon concerning the
emotions of pleasure and pain; as for the desires, they are good or bad
according as they spring from good or evil emotions. But all, in so far
as they are engendered in us by, emotions wherein the mind is passive,
are blind (as is evident from what was said in IV:xliv.Note), and would
be useless, if men could easily, be induced to live by the guidance of
reason only, as I will now briefly, show.
Prop. LIX. To all the actions, whereto we
are determined by emotion wherein the mind
is passive; we can be determined without
emotion by reason.
Proof.- To act rationally, is nothing else (III:iii. and III:Def.ii.)
but to perform those actions, which follow from the necessity, of our
nature {to persist} considered in itself alone. But pain is bad, in so
far as it diminishes or checks the power of action (IV:xli.); wherefore
we cannot by pain be determined to any action, which we should be unable
to perform under the guidance of reason. Again, pleasure is bad only
in so far as it hinders a man's capability for action (IV:xli., IV:xliii.);
therefore to this extent we could not be determined by, it to any action,
which we could not perform under the guidance of reason. Lastly, pleasure,
in so far as it is good, is in harmony with reason (for it consists in the
fact that a man's capability for action is increased or aided); nor is the
mind passive therein, except in so far as a man's power of action is not
increased to the extent of affording him an adequate conception of
himself and his actions (III:iii., &Note).
Wherefore, if a man who is pleasurably affected be brought to such a
state of perfection, that he gains an adequate conception of himself and
his own actions, he will be equally, nay more, capable of those actions,
to which he is determined by emotion wherein the mind is passive. But all
emotions are attributable to pleasure, to pain, or to desire (Def. of the
Emotions:iv. explanation); and desire (Def. of the Emotions:i.) is nothing
else but the attempt to act; therefore, to all actions, &c. Q.E.D.
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