References to Spinoza’s writings and correspondence are given according to the standard edition by Carl Gebhardt: Benedictus de Spinoza, Opera (5 vols., Heidelberg: Winter, 1925 and 1987 [vol. 5]) (henceforth abbreviated: G). Quoted by volume, page, and line number(s). For Spinoza’s writings, I further generally depend on the critical English translation by Edwin Curley: Benedictus de Spinoza, The Collected Works (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press), vol. 1 (1986) and vol. 2 (2016), henceforth abbreviated: CW, followed by volume number and page number(s). References to the collected writings and correspondence of René Descartes are according to: Œuvres, Charles Adam and Paul Tannery (eds.) (11 vols., Paris: Cerf, 1897–1913; new edition, 1964–1971; repr, Vrin, 1996). Henceforth: AT, followed by volume number and page number(s).
The following abbreviations are used in this study’s notes and annexes:
| KV | Korte verhandeling van God, de mensch en deszelvs welstand (G 1), text places are followed by section numbers in Arabic numerals (introduced by Bruder in: Benedictus de Spinoza, Opera quae supersunt omnia, … Karl H. Bruder (ed.) (3 vols., Leipzig: B. Tauchnitz Jr, 1841–6) |
| PP | Renati des Cartes Principiorum philosophiae pars I et II (1663, G 1) |
| CM | Cogitata metaphysica (appendix published to the PP in 1663, G 1); together with the PP referred to as: PP/CM |
| TTP | Tractatus theologico-politicus (1670, G 3), followed by chapter number |
| OP | Opera posthuma (1677) |
| NS | De nagelate schriften (1677) |
| DRT | De rechtzinnige theologant, of godgeleerde staatkundige verhandeling (1693, Dutch translation of the TTP) |
| ERT | Een rechtsinnige theologant, of godgeleerde staatkunde (1694, Dutch translation of the TTP) |
The following works are contained in the printed 1677 posthumous works in their subsequent order:
| E/Zk | Ethica/Zedekunst (G 2) |
| TP | Tractatus politicus; Staatkundige verhandeling (G 3) |
| TIE | Tractatus de emendatione intellectus; Handeling van de verbetering van ’t verstant (G 2) |
| Ep | Epistola doctorum quorundam virorum ad B. d. S. et auctoris; Brieven van verscheide geleerde mannen (G 4), followed by letter number |
| CG | Compendium grammatices linguae Hebraeae (G 1, the Hebrew grammar is only included in the Opera posthuma) |
Text places in PP/CM and in the Ethica are abbreviated and followed by part and component, abbreviated and numbered using Arabic numerals:
| ax | axioma |
| app | appendix |
| c | corollarium |
| def | definitio |
| dem | demonstratio |
| lem | lemma |
| p | propositio |
| praef | praefatio |
| s | scholium |
PP 2p27, for example, patently stands for: Renati des Cartes Principiorum philosophiae pars I et II, Part 2, proposition 27. CM 1.1: Cogitata Metaphysica, part 1, chapter 1. E1p15 should be read the following: Ethica, Part 1, proposition 15. E1p18dem stands for: Ethica, Part 1, proposition 18, demonstration.
The manuscript copy of the Ethica, (made between late 1674 and early 1675) by Pieter van Gent for Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus and now kept in Rome in the Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana (
| V | codex Vaticanus Latinus 12838 |