III.P49 - Free Act is Solo Act

Amor et odium erga rem quam liberam esse imaginamur, major ex pari causa uterque debet esse quam erga necessariam.

Love and hatred towards something which we imagine to be free, either one ought to be greater from an equal cause than towards something (which we imagine to be) necessary.

DEMONSTRATIO: Res quam liberam esse imaginamur, debet (per definitionem 7 partis I) per se absque aliis percipi. Si igitur eandem lætitiæ vel tristitiæ causam esse imaginemur, eo ipso (per scholium propositionis 13 hujus) eandem amabimus vel odio habebimus idque (per propositionem præcedentem) summo amore vel odio qui ex dato affectu oriri potest. Sed si rem quæ ejusdem affectus est causa ut necessariam imaginemur, tum (per eandem definitionem 7 partis I) ipsam non solam sed cum aliis ejusdem affectus causam esse imaginabimur atque adeo (per propositionem præcedentem) amor et odium erga ipsam minor erit. Q.E.D.

Demonstration: Something which we imagine to be free ought (by IP7D) be perceived through itself and away from others. Therefore if we imagine the same thing to be the cause of joy or sadness, by this itself (by IIIPS) we will love the same thing or hate the same thing and it (by IIIP48) with the highest love or hatred which is able to be aroused by the affect experienced. But if something which is the cause of the same affect that we imagine to be necessary, then (by the same IP7D), not only itself but also with others do we imagine to be the cause of the same affect and to such an extent (by IIIP48) the love and hatred will be lesser towards that thing.

SCHOLIUM: Hinc sequitur homines, quia se liberos esse existimant, majore amore vel odio se invicem prosequi quam alia; ad quod accedit affectuum imitatio, de qua vide propositiones 27, 34, 40 et 43 hujus.

Scholium: From this it follows that humans, because they estimate that they (as humans) are free, with greater love or hatred do they engage with each other than towards others (which are not humans); to which the imitation of the affects does occur, concerning this see IIIP27, 34, 40 and 43.