Article ID: CBB001211058

Gersonides and Spinoza on Conatus (2012)

unapi

Pursuing ideas of Aristotle and Averroes, Gersonides (1288--1344) argued that Nature preserves (šomer) the existence of animals and plants and moreover endeavors (yištaddel) to do so. He expressed these ideas in his supercommentaries on Averroes's Aristotelian commentaries (1321--1324), particularly the Parts of Animals and Generation of Animals; in his biblical commentaries (1325--1338); and in his philosophic Wars of the Lord (1329). His views on Nature's preservation of existence amount to a theory of conatus, and influenced Spinoza's (1632--1677) concept of conatus as the endeavor to persevere (perseverare) in being or preserve (conservare) one's being (Ethics III 6--9; IV 18; et passim). Spinoza described Gersonides as vir eruditissimus (Theological-Political Treatise 9, annotation 16). Gersonides held that Nature's preservation of the existence of plants and animals proves divine Providence over human beings (see his commentaries on Genesis 18:25 and Job 34:13). This identification of natural conatus and divine Providence is found explicitly in the writings of the young Spinoza (Short Treatise I 5).

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Authors & Contributors
Klein-Braslavy, Sara
Glasner, Ruth
Freudenthal, Gad
Elior, Ofer
Wirmer, David
Weijers, Olga
Concepts
Philosophy
Aristotelianism
Jewish civilization and culture
Animals
Natural philosophy
Animal anatomy
Time Periods
Medieval
17th century
14th century
Early modern
Renaissance
16th century
Places
France
Europe
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