On the Improvement of Understanding

Description

Tractatus de Intellectus Emendatione, or On The Improvement Of The Understanding, is an unfinished work of philosophy by the 17th century philosopher Baruch Spinoza. The Tractatus was first published in 1677, the year of Spinoza's death, by some of his closest friends, along with other works including the Ethica and the Tractatus Politicus. The Tractatus is an attempt to formulate a philosophical method that would allow the mind to form the clear and distinct ideas that are necessary for its perfection. It contains, in addition, reflection upon the various kinds of knowledge, an extended treatment of definition, and a lengthy analysis of the nature and causes of doubt.

This book has 15,594 words, 35 pages in the PDF version, and was originally published in 1677. This translation by R.H.M. Elwes was originally published in 1883.

Production notes: This ebook of On the Improvement of Understanding was published by Global Grey in 2018, and updated on the 8th August 2024. The artwork used for the cover is 'The Baron de Besenval in his Salon de Compagnie' by Henri-Pierre Danloux.