Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy

Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy

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Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy
Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy
Spinoza on Why We Rejoice at the Misfortune of Others

Spinoza on Why We Rejoice at the Misfortune of Others

Admit it: the good fortune of others is sometimes hard to bear.

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Martin Butler
Apr 07, 2021
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Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy
Martin Butler's Negative Philosophy
Spinoza on Why We Rejoice at the Misfortune of Others
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Envy is hatred, insofar as it so affects a man that he is pained at another's good fortune and rejoices at another's ill-fortune. - The Ethics, Spinoza

Envy makes the world go round, and as far as Spinoza was concerned it is almost our default emotional state. In his typical manner Spinoza lays out exactly what envy is - pain at another's good fortune, o…

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