How Metaphysics Can Inform Ethics | Baruch Spinoza “Ethics”

Some people claim that philosophy is dead. Usually they refer to the specific branch of philosophy known as metaphysics which is the study of the nature of reality. Over the years the sciences have really lead the charge in attempting to explain reality through empiricism. Despite all this, people still seem to find a use in ethics since it helps us act in life.
But what if metaphysics informs someone's ethical theories? If we accept that ethics is useful, and a metaphysical theory informs that ethical system, then we might be able to say that metaphysics still has some use today.
In this video, I look at probably one of the clearest examples of this through the work of Baruch Spinoza. His panentheist/pantheist (depending on how you look at it) metaphysics informed the rest of his philosophy including his ethics. And these ethical ideas are helpful in overcoming certain adversities in life. #philosophy #metaphysics #spinoza

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Music by: Lukrembo

[allusionsxp]

I finished reading book 1 of his Ethics about a week ago and it is awesome! God, or Nature, as a cause in it of itself. Being expressing infinite attributes.

I haven’t read book 2 yet but I liked how book 1 ended off. Spinoza talks about the folly of man, in that they see the things that happen to them as having some sort of purpose. Which entails a critique of moral realism which I found astounding. God me thinking for a minute and now I am considering become a moral anti-realist myself.

Good stuff Spinoza! I still need to re-read book 1 before I go on to book 2 to get a better understanding!

Good video!

[evelinavonseth]

I've never come across your channel before so I can't believe I stumbled upon this super recent video as I'm writing a paper on Spinozas metaphysics. No such thing as coincidences! Also I'm already obsessed with you because this was fkn great okay thanks bye

[abdou.the.heretic]

Outstanding work mate! I legit get my dose of philosophy from you.

[Opposite]

Do not scientific theories postulate entities like atoms, black holes and quantum field’s? Don’t they make claims about the nature of time, space and motion? Scientific theories seem to have their own ontology which is considered to be a part of metaphysics.

[StrangeCornersOfThought]

I'd let Spinoza's God come on me.

[ElifB]

I disagree with the last conclusion. It is only through raising the consciousness of the self, the collective would be also raised. We can bend reality but only if we align with it. This can be achieved through awakening of individuals and realizing that they are creating reality as conscious beings. Spinoza was aware of this. It is the exact opposite of powerlessness. We are not poweless against nature because we are nature and we have to realize that.

[mathieucharbonneau]

Great work! I personally think Spinoza's ethics relates more to religion and natural law (normative ethics) than anything else.
Firstly, it asserts its metaphysical position based on symbolic concepts (God and Nature specifically) for which we do not have valid proof or proper definitions of.
Secondly, just like many religions, it offers a "solution" that is not really a solution: it does away with the problem of good and bad by simply believing that things are "as they are", that God is at the steering wheel and so we should just accept how things happen and "go with the flow". But without proper proof for God's existence (a perfect God), there would be no good reason for us to accept things as they are (such as the nihilism of today's famous "it is what it is" type of thinking which renders ethics nonexistent here). Similarly in Taoism, we are lead to believe that the "flow of things" should be surrendered to - but in order for this to happen, we have to favor the Tao and therefore make a value judgment of it being good/bad - but this is not a valid proposition for the Tao given that it is not a particularity but the general existence of all things (or something like that, not sure if I ever understood the Tao and I think that might be the point of the Tao? hahaha)...
To sum up, if the process of the universe is conducted by something good (God) then that's great (but erm.. no pic no proof) - otherwise, we have no basis to believe that the good will prevail from our surrender to "the process", and without this basis then life is absurd and we fall into existentialism/absurdism which favors a totally opposite solution to surrender, i.e. revolt!

Anyways, love the videos! Peace.

[philosophyofvalue]

God does not exist, and Spinoza's concept of God is inadequate and contradictory.

[parsataheri]

Very poor reading. Spinoza almost refutes what you quoted from here later on in his book.