From the fundamentals of desire to the construction of servitude: a study of Espinosa’s political philosophy

Author(s)

Matheus Romero de Morais

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH/SBD)
• Defense date: 2021-12-17

Examining board members

Homero Silveira Santiago; Marilena de Souza Chaui; Mariana Cecilia de Gainza; Stefano Visentin

• Advisor: Homero Silveira Santiago

Abstract

There is no doubt that Spinoza is a philosopher of freedom. Nonetheless, freedom is neither a given nor the preestablished fate of humankind. Thus, carefully studying the paths through which the desire is conducted in order to produce servitude is a necessary endeavour, one that also strengthens a thought mostly concerned with freedom. As Spinoza writes in the 17th proposition of the Ethics IV, it is necessary to know both human\'s potency and impotence. With this fundamental task in mind, this dissertation intends to undertake an investigation that goes from the concept of human nature, to the affections of the cupiditas, to institution of politics. In other words, our study will address the problem of how the desire, a movement whose horizon is always the conservation of the being, ends up producing servitude. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/04326-4 - The role of sad passions in the formation of the multitude in Spinoza
• Grantee: Matheus Romero de Morais
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master