The Origin of the Knowledge of Right and WrongBrentano, Franz
Philosophy
The Origin of the Knowledge of Right and Wrong
Brentano, Franz
Ethics
Clear as all this is to those who carefully attach due weight to
the various moments, it would yet appear that Spinoza (probably
misled rather by the passage in the _Principles_ than by that cited
by Windelband), anticipates Windelband in this misunderstanding of
the Cartesian doctrine. In his _Ethics_, ii. prop. 49, he actually,
and in the most real sense, regards the _affirmatio_ and _negatio_
as “_volitiones mentis_,” and by a further confusion, comes finally
to obliterate the distinction between the two classes _ideae_ and
_voluntates_. “_Voluntas et intellectus unum et idem sunt_” his thesis
now reads, so overthrowing not only the three-fold classification of
Descartes, but also the old Aristotelian dual classification. Spinoza
has here, as usual, done nothing else than corrupt the teaching of his
great master.
[22] (_p. 13_). I do not mean to say that the classification is,
universally recognized to-day. It would not even be possible to regard
as certain the Principle of Contradiction if in order to do so we
were to await universal assent. In the present instance it is not
difficult to understand that old, deeply-rooted prejudices cannot all
at once be banished. But that even under such circumstances it has not
been possible to urge a single important objection affords the best
confirmation of our doctrine.
Some, as for instance, Windelband--while giving up the attempt at
including judgment and idea (Vorstellung) in _one_ fundamental class,
on the other hand believe it possible to subsume judgment under
feeling, thus falling back into the error which Hume committed earlier
in his inquiry into the nature of belief. According to these writers,
to affirm implies an act of approval, an appreciation on the part of
the feelings, while denial is an act of disapproval, a feeling of
repugnance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account