Several
years back, while working on a Philosophy minor degree at the Utah
Valley University, I was introduced to the philosopher Benedict de
Spinoza. At the time I was taking an early-modern philosophy class
and learning about the prominent philosophers of the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries. However, it was Spinoza that really stuck out
to me. While I never really agreed with his treatment of God (Spinoza argued that in order for God to be omnipotent, omniscient, etc. he must be a substance that contained all essences. Or, basically, in order for God to be God he must contain all things in existence. This is basically a fancy way of saying that God is in and apart of everything, rather than a physical entity) I did appreciate how he was willing to go the extra mile in order to
resolve the ontological problem of evil. However, it is through his
treatment of God that I was first really
introduced to the idea of the expression of empathy in order to
understand or better perceive God. Spinoza has heavily influenced the
way I look at others, nature, and the world (or even the universe) in
general, especially in relation to God.
Spinoza
spoke to me on many levels. One of my favorite treatments that
Spinoza offers, towards the end of his book on God, is one where he
provides the scenario of a rock falling from a high place onto a
passerby. He then goes on to say that men will see this happen and
say that the wind was blowing in such and such a way as to cause the
rock fall. If they are asked where the wind came from they will then
reply with an answer possibly detailing the ocean currents causing
wind to blow in such a way, etc. until they continue backwards until
they are no longer able to explain the cause of an incident, where
they will then say, “it is the will of God,” which Spinoza then
says, is the sanctuary of ignorance.
In
his second book (contained within his book Ethics)
he gives an argument on how one can obtain a higher degree of
perfection. Perfection for Spinoza deals with a persons ability to
act outwardly in a right manner, rather than allowing things to act upon us. Acting outwardly
is a conscious effort including not only thinking positively about
ones situations, but acting in a way according to those thoughts. It
also involves a high level of empathy and implementing that empathy
in order to become more “perfect”.
And
example of this that my professor at the time used in order to
understand what Spinoza meant in acting outwardly involved driving in
heavy traffic. When the car in front of you is driving under the
speed limit you have two basic options: to let the incident act on
you or to act outwardly (and rightly). To allow the incident to act
on one's self would be to allow it to upset you (this is definitely
the case for me more often then not, unfortunately). You are allowing
the situation to determine your actions. However, to act outwardly
would be to utilize empathy. While this is not how Spinoza words his
treatment of actions it is heavily implied. Going back to the example
of the slow driver, using empathy in this situation is to make an
assumption of the persons situation. For example, rather than
thinking they are some low-life sent from the pits of hell to cause
you annoyance, you can rather see them as human, either making a
mistake, or perhaps placing a situation for them to explain their
behavior. Perhaps they were recently in an accident which has caused
them to drive more cautiously, or maybe they are a new driver,
intimidated by the amount of traffic on the road. Spinoza explains
that in placing a method of understanding on the individual you give
them their own humanity back in utilizing your own empathy.
Since
my humble beginnings in an undergraduate philosophy class I have come
to appreciate what I learned of humanity and our relations among one
another to a far greater extent. This relationship heavily is (or can
be) influenced by our understanding and utilization of empathy.
In
Matt 22:37 we are told that the first and greatest
commandment is to love God. But this greatest commandment is
immediately followed up by a second, to love your neighbor. I find it
interesting and important that these two commandments are those that
replace centuries of strict practice and worship. Loving God is
central to religious thought, however, it is how one loves God that
had changed. Rather than showing him your loyalty and love through
adherence to a set of guidelines we are given the impression that to
show God our love for him we are to obey the second greatest
commandment by loving our neighbors.
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