Spinoza and Conatus

Spinoza defines the essence of any individual human as 'the endeavor to persist in its own being', with 'persist' also translatable as 'persevere'. However, this concept of conatus is often, e. g. Wolfson, represented as 'self-preservation', thereby aligning Spinoza with a long Stoic-based tradition, that includes, most influentially, Hobbes. The difference between 'persist'/'persevere' and 'preserve' is perhaps subtle, but of potentially great significance. Whereas, 'preserve' connotes the maintaining of some already determined entity, 'persist'/'persevere' is open-ended. Indeed, the Spinozistic Mode not only persists, but has the capacity to increase its strength. In other words, preserve, but not persist/persevere, precludes the possibility of growth. Now, the contrast between self-preservative conatus and evolvemental, i. e. self-growth, conatus has been previously discussed here, with some of the main conclusions being that the former, which has dominated Anglo-Saxon culture for centuries, breeds greed and antagonism, and, thus, stunts, the development of a healthy society. So, to take Spinoza's formulation at face value, his theory of conatus stands as a variation on the traditional one, and anticipates one that does not emerge into prominence for another two centuries.