Home – Home – Jornals – Philosophy of Sciences 2019 number 2

The article considers consequences of Spinoza’s recognition of the fact that the universe, which he names also God, is the sole and single totality of an infinite multitude of solitary modes of its universal attributes, to which human also belongs. Special attention is paid to the specificity of Spinoza's picture of the universe caused by the philosopher's recognition of the strict necessity of the «nature» of everything that exists and at the same time to his efforts to reject that which by the end of his life was called «quietism». Meanwhile, in Spinozas's view, the «last goal» of human is only an adequate perception of the world and himself. According to Spinoza, only intellectual intuition, as he says, may attain it in an undoubtedly adequate way. Naturally, the article studies thoroughly and evaluates the component of Spinoza’s teaching which deals with intellectual intuition. It is summarized not just in his statement that it is only intellectual intuition which comprehends the individually unique and the singular, i.e. that the totality of which Spinoza thinks to be the only really existing components of the universe. Its equally important feature, according to Spinoza, is the fact that clear and distinct things in that what we cognize we perceive in no other way but «through themselves». The article shows the main direction of change in the object orientation of Spinoza's research attention in his Ethics which takes place as the philosopher increases his efforts to reveal a level of importance of a person’s reliance on intellectual intuition in his cognitive activity and spiritual quest as a whole. The author analyzes how Spinoza substantiates both the absolute truth of the result of the functioning of intellectual intuition and the perpetual state of soul beatitude which feels human possessing this result.