Thursday, June 20, 2019

Material Causality and Eden

Some Philosophers have studied the question 'Why is there something rather than nothing?', but none has considered 'Why if there is something, are there many things?'  The latter is of Theological import in the case of a deity to whom Perfection is attributed, but nevertheless proceeds to create beyond itself.  It is of potential further Theological import insofar as a creature that has been created 'in the image' of the deity is likewise dissatisfied with Perfection, e. g. dissatisfied with an Edenic existence.  One solution is that one of the attributes of the deity is Material Causality, the principle of Diversification, or, equivalently, of Creativity, so that entailed in Perfection is creating beyond itself.  On that basis, a second Theological question that arises is 'Why does a Creator become angry when a creature that it has created in its own image itself begins to create beyond sufficient circumstances?', e. g. the central drama of Genesis 3.  Now, Spinoza has the resources to pose and answer both of these questions--with the divine Attribute of Extension interpreted as Material Causality, and instantiated in each of the Modes of divine Substance.  Accordingly, Modal Creativity is equivalent to the instantiation of Substance. However, perhaps out of prudence in circumstances that are already hostile to his heterodoxy, he leaves undeveloped the implication of his doctrine that Modal Material Causality--Creativity beyond Edenic sufficiency--does not merit the divine anger that is the decisive factor in the orthodoxy.  In any case, an answer to the otherwise unaddressed question is--the reason why there is not only something but many things is that inherent in any something is a principle of Diversification.

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