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As men's habits of mind differ, so that some more readily embrace one form of faith, some another, for what moves one to pray may move another to scoff, I conclude ... that everyone should be free to choose for himself the foundations of his creed, and that faith should be judged only by its fruits.

Baruch Spinoza

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Baruch Spinoza
Age: 44 †
Born: 1632
Born: November 24
Died: 1677
Died: February 21
Bible Translator
Grammarian
Instrument Maker
Linguist
Optical Instrument Maker
Philosopher
Political Scientist
Theologian
Translator
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Benedict de Spinoza
Baruch de Espinosa
Barukh Shpinozah
Benoît de Spinoza
Sbīnūzā
Ispīnūzā
Barukh Spinoza
Bento de Espinosa
Baruch d' Espinoza
Shpinozah
Baruch de Spinoza
Spinoza
Benoit de Spinoza
Benedictus De Spinoza
Benedictus Spinoza
Baruch Spinoza
Baruch Benedictus de Spinoza
Mind
Move
Moves
Differ
Men
Free
Pray
Foundations
Faith
Fruit
Readily
Moving
Embrace
Creed
Everyone
Praying
Fruits
Another
Foundation
Creeds
Form
Habit
Habits
Scoff
May
Choose
Judged
Conclude

More quotes by Baruch Spinoza

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To comprehend an idea, a person must simultaneously accept it as true. Conscious analysis - which, depending on the idea, may occur almost immediately or with considerable effort - allows the mind to reject what it intially accepted as fact.
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A free man, who lives among ignorant people, tries as much as he can to refuse their benefits. .. He who lives under the guidance of reason endeavours as much as possible to repay his fellow's hatred, rage, contempt, etc. with love and nobleness.
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If facts conflict with a theory, either the theory must be changed or the facts.
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Sin cannot be conceived in a natural state, but only in a civil state, where it is decreed by common consent what is good or bad.
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No to laugh, not to lament, not to detest, but to understand.
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Those who know the true use of money, and regulate the measure of wealth according to their needs, live contented with few things.
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True knowledge of good and evil as we possess is merely abstract or general, and the judgment which we pass on the order of things and the connection of causes, with a view to determining what is good or bad for us in the present, is rather imaginary than real.
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Things which are accidentally the causes either of hope or fear are called good or evil omens.
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...The body is affected by the image of the thing, in the same way as if the thing were actually present.
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Pride is pleasure arising from a man's thinking too highly of himself.
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True virtue is life under the direction of reason.
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How would it be possible if salvation were ready to our hand, and could without great labor be found, that it should be by almost all men neglected? But all things excellent are as difficult as they are rare.
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If we conceive that anyone loves, desires, or hates anything which we ourselves love, desire, or hate, we shall thereupon regard the thing in question with more steadfast love, etc. On the contrary, if we think that anyone shrinks from something that we love, we shall undergo vacillation of the soul.
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The world would be happier if men had the same capacity to be silent that they have to speak.
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The supreme mystery of despotism, its prop and stay, is to keep men in a state of deception, and with the specious title of religion to cloak the fear by which they must be held in check, so that they will fight for their servitude as if for salvation.
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Ambition is the immoderate desire for honor.
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He who lives according to the guidance of reason strives as much as possible to repay the hatred, anger, or contempt of others towards himself with love or generosity. ...hatred is increased by reciprocal hatred, and, on the other hand, can be extinguished by love, so that hatred passes into love.
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Nature offers nothing that can be called this man's rather than another's but under nature everything belongs to all.
Baruch Spinoza
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Happiness is a virtue, not its reward.
Baruch Spinoza
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The highest endeavor of the mind, and the highest virtue, it to understand things by intuition.
Baruch Spinoza