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Article ID: CBB001211058

Gersonides and Spinoza on Conatus (2012)

Harvey, Warren Zev (Author)

Aleph: Historical Studies in Science and Judaism
Volume: 12, no. 2
Issue: 2
Pages: 273-297

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Aristotelianism Animals Jewish civilization and culture Philosophy Animal anatomy Nature Medieval 17th century Early modern 14th century Levi Ben Gershon Spinoza, Baruch

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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