This electronic text is used with the kind permission of:
Cosma Shalizi <cshalizi@umich.edu> 

The  text  is  the  translation  of  the  "Tractatus  de Intellectus Emenda- 
tione"  by  R. H. M.  Elwes,  (based  on  Bruder's  1843  Latin Text),  as 
printed   by  Dover Publications (NY: 1955) in Book 1.  This is, the book 
assures us, "an unabridged and  unaltered  republication  of  the  Bohn 
Library edition originally published  by  George  Bell and Sons in 1883.'' 
As  it  is more than a century old, it is incontestably in the public domain. 

8.   TEXT version.  Latin versions; Book III, CD, MEIJER.

9.   For the burden of TEI see  POSIT.

10. The secret to understanding Spinoza is to posit ONE—1D6; its Foundation Rock.

11. For HTML version re-formatted for conversion to an eBook see here.
      For HTML version converted for various eBook Readers see here.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

"Treatise on the Emendation of the Intellect"

Book I Page Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Note 3
From Bk.1:v 
< Preface. > 

First Part of Method: Book I Page Numbers
< Part One—Truth, Fiction, Falsity, Doubt >  Bk.III:52.  

Second Part of Method: Rules of Definition.
< Part Two—Definition and the Order of Investigation > 
 Book I Page Numbers

From Book III, Page 19—

Notice to the Reader.

(This notice to the reader was written by the editors of the Opera Postuma in 1677.  
Taken from Book III:19 and Book VIII:6.)


This  Treatise  on the Emendation of the Intellect etc., which we give

you  here,  kind reader, in its unfinished [that is, defective] state, was

written  by  the  author  many years ago now.  He always intended to

finish  it.  But  hindered  by  other  occupations,  and finally snatched

away  by  death,  he  was unable to bring it to the desired conclusion.

But  since  it  contains  many  excellent and useful things, which—we

have no doubt—will  be  of great benefit to anyone sincerely seeking

the  truth,  we  did  not  wish to deprive you of them.  And so that you             Cash Value

would  be  aware of, and find less difficult to excuse, the many things

that are still obscure, rough, and unpolished, we wished to warn you

of them.  

Farewell.

From Bk.III:16:

      Treatise  on  the  Emendation of the Intellect
      and  on  the  way by which it is best directed 
      toward   the   t r u e   knowledge   of   things. 

The Introduction: The General Aim of the Treatise.
[1-11], De Dijn's Commentary Page 30 - The Perspective of Everyman. 

On the Improvement of the Understanding. Page 3          Transforms one's life.

Bk.III:30; Bk.XIB:4418; Bk.XX:101.  
[1]  (1:1)  After experience had taught me  that all the usual surround-             Hampshire:13[3]
           [ ordinary ]          [ empty ]
ings of social life are vain and futile; seeing that none of the objects
                                                                                          Bk.III:31.
of my fears  contained in themselves  anything either  good or bad,
              < Bk.XV:286182—animus ,     moved >
except in so far as the mind is affected by them, I finally resolved to               Mark Twain
> try to find out <                                       [ true ]
inquire  whether  there might be  some real good  having  power  to          SCR:Dijn'sSalvation 
                                                                                              [ alone ]        [ rejection ]
communicate itself, which would affect the mind singly, to the exclu-
                                                                                { Deus }                           Spinoza's Religion
sion of all else:  whether,  in fact,  there might be anything of which
                                                                               { more or less }
the discovery and attainment would enable me to enjoy continuous,               E4:Dijn34
                                       [ joy ] { pleasure } < E1:Bk.XV:2601 > 
supreme,  and  unending  happiness  { better °PcM } Bk.III:238—Salvation.
                                         < Bk.XV:281144 on E4:XXI:203 >
{ EL:[39]:xxiii, E2:XLIX(62):126, E5:XLII(9):270. } 

{ Aristotle "Nicomachean Ethics" Book I: 
       "Shall we not, like archers who have a mark to aim at, be more 
       likely to hit upon what we should?  If so, we must try, in outline 
       at least, to determine what it is, . . . "  } 


                            Bk.XX:10250.
[2]   (2:1)  I say "I finally resolved,''  for at first sight  it seemed unwise

willingly  to lose hold  on what was sure  for the sake  of something
          Bk.III:31.
then uncertain.  (2:2)  I  could  see  the  benefits  which  are  acquired

through fame and riches,  and that I should be  obliged to abandon

the  quest  of  such  objects,  if  I  seriously  devoted  myself  to  the

search for something different and new.   (2:3)  I perceived that if true

happiness chanced to be placed in the former  I should necessarily

miss it; while if, on the other hand, it were not so placed, and I gave

them my whole attention, I should equally fail.

Of the ordinary objects of men's desires.

                                                                                        Bk.III:32—reach 
[3]  (3:1) I  therefore  debated whether it would not be possible to arrive
                      [ goal ]
at  the  new  principle, or at any rate at a certainty concerning its exist-
                       { ^ Foundation Rock }
ence,  without  changing  the  conduct  and usual plan of my life; with

this end in view I made many efforts, but in vain.  (3:2)  For the ordinary

surroundings  of  life  which  are  esteemed  by  men (as their actions

testify)   to  be  the  highest  good,  may  be  classed  under the three      Spinoza's highest good
              [ Bk.VIII:83—Aristotle "Nicomachean Ethics" Book I:4 ]  
               < riches, honour, and sexual love—Bk.XV:286183 > 
heads—Riches,   Fame,   and  the  Pleasures  of  Sense:  with these                Idolatry
   ^ Bk.III:31; Bk.XIV:2:2362.                                               [ thought ] 
three  page 4  the  mind is so absorbed that it has little power to reflect

on any different good {say the Love of G-D, the most immutable love}.                         True Thoughts



[4]   (4:1)  By sensual pleasure the mind is enthralled to the extent of
  [ at peace ]
quiescence, as if the supreme good were actually attained, so that

it  is  quite  incapable  of  thinking  of  any  other object; when such

{irrational}  pleasure  has  been  gratified  it  is followed by extreme
  [ sadness ]
melancholy, whereby  the mind, though not enthralled, is disturbed

and dulled.

(4:2) The  pursuit  of  honors  and  riches  is  likewise very absorbing,
                                                                                       Bk.III:31.
especially  if  such  objects be sought simply for their own sake [a],
                                            [ assumed ]—{ Religion, Idolatry }
inasmuch as they are then supposed to constitute the highest good.



[5]   (5:1)  In  the  case  of  fame  the  mind  is still more absorbed, for

fame is conceived as always good for its own sake, and as the ulti-

mate end to which all actions are directed.   (5:2)  Further,  the attain-
                     Bk.III:31.
ment of riches and fame  is not followed  as in the case  of sensual

pleasures by repentance,  but, the more we acquire,  the greater is

our delight, and, consequently, the more are we incited to increase

both the one and the other; on the other hand, if our hopes happen
                                                                           { loss of PcM }
to be frustrated we are plunged into the deepest sadness.  (5:3) Fame

has  the  further  drawback that it compels its votaries to order their
                           [ powers of understanding ]
lives  according  to the opinions of their fellow-men,  shunning what

they usually shun, and seeking what they usually seek.



[6]   (6:1)  When  I saw that all these  ordinary objects of desire would

be obstacles in the way of a search for something different and new

—nay,  that  they  were  so  opposed  thereto,  that  either they or it

would have to be abandoned,  I was forced  to inquire which would

prove  the most useful  to me:  for, as I say, I seemed to be willingly

losing  hold  on  a  sure  good  for the sake of something uncertain.

(6:2)  However,  after I had reflected on the matter,  I came in the first

place to the conclusion that by abandoning the ordinary objects of

pursuit,  and betaking myself to a new quest,  I should be leaving a

good,  uncertain  by reason of its own nature,  as may be gathered

from what has been said, for the sake of a good not uncertain in its

nature  (for I  sought for a fixed good  {knowledge of G-D} ),  but only in
                                   Bk.III:31.
the possibility of its attainment.


                  ] persistent  meditation [
[7]  (7:1)  Further  reflection  convinced  me that if I could really get to
                              > {and thus} to change my plan of life, <
the root of the matter ^ I should be leaving certain evils for a certain       Transforms one's life
Bk.III:32. 
good.   (7:2)  I thus perceived that I was in a state of great peril, and I
                                                                                              Bk.III:32. 
compelled  myself  to  seek with all my  page 5  strength for a remedy,  

however  uncertain  it  might  be;  as  a  sick  man struggling with a

deadly disease,  when he sees  that death  will surely be upon him                 4P44n
                             Bk.XIB:1835.
unless  a  remedy be found, is compelled to seek a remedy with all

his  strength,  inasmuch as his whole hope lies therein.   (7:3)  All the
                                         < crowd >
objects  pursued  by  the multitude  not  only  bring no remedy  that

tends to preserve our being,  but even act as hindrances,  causing               E4:Dijn:34 

the death not seldom  of those who possess them [b] ,  and always

of those who are possessed by them.



[8]  (8:1) There are many examples of men who have suffered perse-

cution even to death for the sake of their riches, and of men who in

pursuit  of  wealth  have  exposed themselves to so many dangers,

that  they  have  paid  away  their  life  as  a  penalty  for  their folly.

(8:2)  Examples are no less numerous of men, who have endured the

utmost  wretchedness  for  the  sake  of  gaining or preserving their

reputation.   (8:3)  Lastly,  there are  innumerable cases of men,  who

have  hastened  their  death  through  over-indulgence  in  sensual
 Bk.XX:17663, 26254.  
pleasure.



[9]  (9:1) All  these  evils  seem  to have arisen from the fact, that happi-

ness  or unhappiness is made wholly dependent on the quality of the
{ external }
object  which  we love.  (9:2) When a thing is not loved, no quarrels will           Short Treatise

arise  concerning  it—no  sadness  be  felt if it perishes—no envy if it
                                              Bk.III:32. 
is  possessed  by  another—no  fear,  no  hatred,  in short no disturb-

ances of the mind {decrease in °PcM}. (9:3)  All these arise from the love of
             Bk.XIB:22175.
what is perishable, such as the objects already mentioned.
            {attachment}

                      {need}                    Bk.III:32; Bk.XIX:29311. 
[10]  (10:1)  But  love  towards  a  thing {G-D} eternal and infinite feeds             True Thoughts
                   < Bk.XV:286184—E5:XX(2)N:257 > 
the mind {mystically} wholly with joy,  and is itself unmingled with any             Durant:647[6a]160
 D2:2.18ff                                    { ^ better °PcM+1 }
sadness,   wherefore  it  is  greatly  to  be  desired  and  sought  for               Martin Buber 
                    TEI:Bk.XV:xii
with  all  our  strength. (10:2) Yet  it  was  not at random that I used the  

words, "If I could go to the root of the matter,'' for, though what I have
                                                                           < on that account > 
urged  was  perfectly clear to my mind, I could not forthwith lay aside
      [    greed     ]
all love of riches, sensual enjoyment, and fame.


[11]   (11:1)  One  thing  was  evident,  namely,  that while my mind was
                           TEI:Endnote 11:1A   
employed  with  these thoughts it turned away from its former objects
                                                                                           Bk.III:32
of  desire,  and  seriously  considered  the search for a new principle;
                                                                                    { rule of life ^ }
this  state  of  things was a great comfort to me,  for  I  perceived that

the  evils  were not such as to resist all remedies. (11:2) Although these

intervals  were  at  first  rare,  and  page 6   of  very  short duration,  yet
                               {highest good}
afterwards,  as  the  true good became more and more discernible to            Simply Posit 
                                     {^ our proposition - Posit}
me,  they  became  more frequent and more lasting; especially after I                Wolf

had  recognized  that  the acquisition of wealth, sensual pleasure, or

fame,  is  only  a  hindrance,  so long as they are sought as ends not
                                                                                [      have a limit,       ] 
as  means;  if  they  be sought as means, they will be under restraint,
                                        Bk.III:31.
and,   far  from  being  hindrances,  will  further not a little the end for

which they are sought, as I will show in due time.



[12-13], De Dijn's Commentary Page 33 - The Philosophical Perspective.

Of the true and final good.  page 6

Bk.III:33.                                                                          {highest good}
[12]  (12:1)  I  will  here  only briefly state what I mean by true good, and 

also  what  is  the  nature  of the highest good.  (12:2)  In order  that this              TEI:[10]:5 

may  be  rightly  understood,  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  the terms
          > Bk.III:33—but only from the perspective of man as inevitably striving to perserve himself. <
good and evil are only applied relatively ^, so that the same thing may
         { ^ are subjective terms }                                    {reference point}
be  called  both  good and bad  according to the relations in view,  in
                                                      {likewise are subjective terms}                              Ferguson
the  same  way  as  it may be called perfect or imperfect.  (12:3) Nothing 

regarded   in   its  own  nature  can  be  called  perfect  nor  imperfect;         Pure nor impure 

especially  when  we  are  aware  that  all things which come to pass,
                                                                  < Bk.XV:288212 on [53]. Determinism > 
come to pass according to the eternal order and fixed laws of Nature.      Chain of Natural Events 


                                                                           [ grasp ]
[13]  (13:1)  However,  human  weakness  cannot  attain to this order in
                                                    < Bk.XV:286186—E4:Prf.(32):189,    human nature >
its  own  thoughts, but meanwhile man conceives a human character
                                                                          Bk.XIX:1293. ^
much  more  stable  than his own,  and  sees  that there is no reason

why  he  should  not  himself acquire such a character.   (13:2) Thus he

is  led  to  seek  for means which will bring him to this pitch of perfec-

tion, {°P}, and calls everything which will serve as such means a true

good.  (13:3) The chief good is that he should arrive, together with other
 {of enlightened self-interest}
individuals  if  possible,  at the possession of the aforesaid character.

(13:4)  What  that character is we shall show in due time, namely, that it
                                {cosmic, mystical}
is  the  knowledge  of  the ^ union  existing  being  the  mind  and  the              Ferguson
 Bk.XX:17764. [ Nature ]
whole  of  Nature {G-D}. [c].



[14-17], De Dijn's Commentary Page 36 - The Program for Real Happiness.

Bk.III:36,142.  
[14]   (14:1)  This,  then,  is  the end for which I strive, to attain to such                E4:Dijn:34 

a  character myself,  and to endeavor  that many  should attain to it

with me. (14:2) In other words, it is part of my happiness to lend a help-
                                                Bk.XIB:4418. 
ing hand,  that many others  may understand  even as I do,  so that

their  understanding  and  desire  may  entirely  agree with my own.

 (14:3)  In  order  to  bring this about,  it  is  necessary  [first]  to  under-
                           [ Nature ]                              Bk.III:173.
stand as much of nature as will enable us to attain to the aforesaid

character,  and  [next]  also  to  form a page 7 social order such  as  is

most  conducive  to the attainment of this character by the greatest
                 <              as safely as possible                 > 
number with the least difficulty and danger {by evolution, not revolution} .
    < Bk.XV:286187—E4:XXXVII:211, E4:Ap. VII, XII, and XIV:237, > 



[15]  [Third,]  (15:1)  We  must  seek the assistance of Moral Philosophy

[d]  and the Theory of Education; further, as health is no insignificant
                                                      [ Fourthly ]    
means for attaining our end, we must also include the whole science
     Bk.XIV:2:2652 on E5:Prf.4:244; Bk.XIA:24109, Bk.XIB:238116.   >ingenuity<, <useful arts> 
of   Medicine,   and,   as   many  difficult  things  are  by  contrivance

rendered  easy, and  we can in this way gain much time and conven-
         [ Fifthly ]
ience,   the  science  of  Mechanics  must  in  no  way  be  despised.     Technological Advancement


Bk.III:39.                                 {G:Note 8, E3:GN(2)n}
[16]  (16:1) But before all things, a means must be devised for improv-

ing the understanding  and purifying it,  as far as may be at the out-               Curley:72

set,  so that it may apprehend things without error,  and in the best
{Neff EL:L42(37):360}
possible way.   (16:2)  Thus it is apparent  to everyone  that  I wish to

direct all science  to one end and aim [e],  so that we may attain to

the supreme human perfection which we have named;  and,  there-            Hampshire:110 

fore,  whatsoever  in  the  sciences  does not serve to promote our
                                      Bk.III:173—E2:Prf:82.  
object  will have  to be rejected  as useless.   (16:3)  To  sum  up  the

matter in a word,  all our actions and thoughts  must be directed to

this one end.


Certain rules of life.  page 7

Bk.III:39—Neff TL:L42(37):360.
[17]   (17:1)  Yet,  as  it  is  necessary  that while we are endeavoring to

attain  our  purpose,  and  bring the understanding into the right path,        Fourth Noble Truth

we should  carry  on our life, we are compelled first of all to lay down

certain  rules  of  life  as provisionally  good,  to  wit  the  following:—

                                                                                 Bk.XIA:53143.  
I.      (17:2)  To  speak   in a manner  intelligible to the multitude,  and to
       comply  with  every  general  custom  that  does  not  hinder  the 
       attainment  of  our  purpose.  (17:3) For we can gain from the multi- 
       tude  no  small  advantages,  provided  that  we  strive to accom-    Enlightened Self-interest
       modate  ourselves  to its understanding as far as possible: more- 
       over,  we  shall in this way gain a friendly audience for the recep- 
       tion of the truth. 

II.    (17:4) To  indulge  ourselves  with  pleasures  only in so far as they
      are necessary for preserving health.  Bk.XX:26358. 

III.   (17:5)  Lastly,  to  endeavor  to obtain only sufficient money or other
      commodities  to  enable us to preserve our life and health, and to 
      follow  such  general customs as are consistent with our purpose. 
                                                                                                 < Bk.XV:286189—goal > 




A Short Survey of the Mind: The Means to Obtain the End.
[18-29] De Dijn's Commentary Page 50.

         < Introduction. The Kinds of Knowledge and the Nature of Method >
                                                             < Bk.XV:286181 >

PAGE 8
                                                                                                    < now prepare >
[18]  (18:1) Having laid down these preliminary rules, I will betake my-
                                                                                    { correction }
self to the first and most important task, namely, the amendment of
          [ intellect ]
the understanding,  and  the rendering it capable of  understanding

things in the manner necessary for attaining our end.  (18:2) In order

to  bring  this  about,  the natural order demands that I should here
 Bk.XIV:2:1312. 
recapitulate  all  the  modes  of  perception,    which I have hitherto

employed for affirming or denying anything with certainty, so that I

may choose the best, and at the same time begin to know my own
                                      Bk.III:50—Neff EL:L42(37):360.  
powers and the nature which I wish to perfect.
                                                             Bk.III:50. 


                                                      knowledge
Of the four modes of perception.  page 8

                 ] persistent  meditation [
[19]  (19:1) Reflection shows that all modes of perception or knowledge              E2:TEI[19-24]
 may be reduced to four:— < but of these four, the first two are clearly sub-forms 
                                                        of  the  first  kind  of  knowledge  in  "The Ethics." > 
                                                        Bk.XV:286190—E2:XL(19)n2:113 >  { I:2.1 ,D:2.2b }

                                                    Bk.XIV:2:1366. 
I.    (19:2)  Perception  arising  from  hearsay  or  from  some sign which
      everyone may name as he please.  Bk.III:51.  
  
                                               Bk.XIV:2:1343—vague.    Bk.XIX:28912,a.
II.    (19:3)   Perception   arising   from   mere   experience—that is,  from
      experience  not  yet  classified by the intellect, and only so called 
      because  the  given  event  has  happened to take place,  and we 
                         < particular experience.  Bk.XV:286191—TEI:[20]:8 >  
      have  no  contradictory  fact  to  set against it,  so that it therefore
      remains  unassailed  in  our  minds. Bk.III:51, 52; Bk.XIX:1574.  
      { See De Dijn's Commentary Page 52. }

                                                             Bk.XIV:1:1639    ] E1:Bk.VII:609 [ 
III.   (19:4)   Perception  arising  when  the  essence  of  one  thing is in-         Third Mode
      ferred from another thing, but not adequately; [f], this comes when 
      from  some  effect  we  gather  its  cause  {induction}, or when it is          by reason
      inferred  from  some  general  proposition  {deduction}  that some 
      < Bk.XV:287192—Bk.XV:27489 on E2:XXXIX:110 >                  ^ Bk.XIV:2:1251. 
      property  is  always  present.      Bk.III:53, 54, 57, 152; Bk.XIX:2929. 
                               Bk.XIV:2:1402. 

IV.   (19:5)  Lastly,  there  is  the  perception  arising  when  a thing is per-        Fourth Mode
      ceived  solely  through  its  essence  {by intuition, i.e. knowing G-D } or
       {then through deduction; by  knowing G-D} the knowledge of its proximate
       cause.  Bk.III:150; Bk.XIV:1:1281; Bk.XIX:13416; 15419; 16014.
      {Called  the  third  kind  of knowledge—intuition—in "The Ethics."}; 
                                                  { ^ the knowledge that comes from a mystical experience.} 
        {See De Dijn's Commentary Page 57.}  {Analogy: Organic Interdependence—knowing the
        body, so that you can understand an arm.}




[20]  (20:1)  All  these  kinds of perception I will illustrate by  examples.

(20:2) By hearsay I know the day of my birth, my parentage, and other
                                                                        Bk.III:51. 
matters  about  which  I have  never  felt  any doubt.   (20:3)  By mere

experience  I  know  that I shall die,  for this I can affirm from having

seen that others like myself have died, though all did not live for the
          &nb