Monday, March 2, 2026

III.P54 - Mind Tends to Self-Glorify

Mens ea tantum imaginari conatur quæ ipsius agendi potentiam ponunt.

The mind tries to imagine only things which establish the power of its own acting.

DEMONSTRATIO: Mentis conatus sive potentia est ipsa ipsius mentis essentia (per propositionem 7 hujus); mentis autem essentia (ut per se notum) id tantum quod mens est et potest, affirmat; at non id quod non est neque potest adeoque id tantum imaginari conatur quod ipsius agendi potentiam affirmat sive ponit. Q.E.D.

The efforting or potential [power] of the mind is the essence of the mind itself (by IIIP7); moreover the essence of the mind (as known through itself) affirms only that which the mind is and is able; but not that which it is not and not able to the extent that it tries to imagine only that which affirms or supports its potential of acting.

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III.P55

Cum mens suam impotentiam imaginatur, eo ipso contristatur. When the mind imagines its own impotence, it is depressed by it. DEMONSTRATIO: M...