Spinoza's Theory of Attributes

Noa Shein

Spinoza's Theory of Attributes

Noa Shein

Department of Philosophy

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary › peer-review

Abstract

Attributes sit at the very heart of Spinoza’s metaphysics. They enable us to understand and talk about an extended world and a thinking world in terms of which we understand such things as bodies and minds. Furthermore, it is due to the relation of attributes to one another and to the infinite substance that an elegant resolution to the Cartesian mind–body problem is possible. Attributes furnish Spinoza’s substance with variety while preventing it from being an ephemeral, homogenous totality—an eleatic “one” of which nothing can be said or known. They constitute variety without dissolving the infinite substance into multiple substances.

Original language	American English
Title of host publication	The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Editors	Edward N. Zalta
State	Published - Mar 2018

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https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2018/entries/spinoza-attributes

Cite this

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title = "Spinoza's Theory of Attributes",

abstract = "Attributes sit at the very heart of Spinoza{\textquoteright}s metaphysics. They enable us to understand and talk about an extended world and a thinking world in terms of which we understand such things as bodies and minds. Furthermore, it is due to the relation of attributes to one another and to the infinite substance that an elegant resolution to the Cartesian mind–body problem is possible. Attributes furnish Spinoza{\textquoteright}s substance with variety while preventing it from being an ephemeral, homogenous totality—an eleatic “one” of which nothing can be said or known. They constitute variety without dissolving the infinite substance into multiple substances.",

author = "Noa Shein",

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language = "American English",

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AB - Attributes sit at the very heart of Spinoza’s metaphysics. They enable us to understand and talk about an extended world and a thinking world in terms of which we understand such things as bodies and minds. Furthermore, it is due to the relation of attributes to one another and to the infinite substance that an elegant resolution to the Cartesian mind–body problem is possible. Attributes furnish Spinoza’s substance with variety while preventing it from being an ephemeral, homogenous totality—an eleatic “one” of which nothing can be said or known. They constitute variety without dissolving the infinite substance into multiple substances.

M3 - Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary

BT - The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

A2 - Zalta, Edward N.

ER -

Spinoza's Theory of Attributes

Abstract

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