Baruch Spinoza

"By GOD, I mean a being absolutely infinite--that is,
a substance consisting in infinite attributes, of
which each expresses eternal and infinite essentiality.
Explanation. I say absolutely infinite, not infinite after its kind:
for, of a thing infinite only after its kind, infinite attributes
may be denied; but that which is absolutely infinite, contains in
its essence whatever expresses reality, and involves no negation."

This quote is taken from the introductory notes of Spinoza's Part 1 of The Ethics.

The God that Spinoza defines intrigues me. I think that this definition of God applies to almost every time that he/she is mentioned in conversation. What interests me most is where this idea came from. This idea of God is a giant one and I am curious as to when it originated in human thought. The human mind cannot possibly grasp the full meaning of God (as defined by Spinoza) yet the human mind is indeed where the definition came from. Thinking about this makes my head spin.

On a side note, if you are familiar with Spinoza and are interested in poetry then you should pick up a copy of any of these fine texts:

The author


DJ Spinoza's Dozen


Infinite Recursor Or The Bride Of DJ Spinoza


The Life and Opinions of DJ Spinoza


If you like those books, then you'll like this one:

The Off Centaur