157. - Remedies for the Affects

Summary

Spinoza presents the remedies for the affects (affectuum remedia) in the final part of the Ethics (E5pref–E5p20s) as part of an analysis of the power of the intellect and the way to freedom (libertas). While Spinoza prefers the general concept “affect” in these passages, the remedies clearly target passions – that is, emotions that involve inadequate knowledge (E3GDA). Because passions are major obstacles for achieving happiness, the discussion of the remedies can be seen as a central stage in achieving the overall aim of the Ethics, blessedness (beatitudo) (E2pref), and as completing the consideration of the remedies for the excessive desires for wealth, honor, and sensual pleasure that had started already in the early pages of the TIE (sections 1–11). Passions produce both tormenting vacillations of the mind and desires contrary to reason’s dictates which aim at our true well-being. In this regard, passions betray our lack of power and cause “sickness of the mind [animi aegritudines]” (E5p20s). The general aim of the remedies is to cure such sickness by guiding the mind to adequate understanding and replacing passions with active affects, such as “love toward God [Deum amore]” and “satisfaction of mind [animi acquiescentia].”