On Natura Naturans by Baruch Spinoza
Nature is divided into Natura naturans and Natura naturata. Natura naturans is the being conceived clearly and distinctly through itself, requiring nothing besides itself for understanding; it is God and includes the attributes already described. Natura naturata is divided into general and particular forms. The general consists of all attributes that depend immediately on God. The particular consists of individual things produced through the general mode. Natura naturata therefore requires substance in order to be properly understood.
By Baruch Spinoza · First published 1660 · Genre: Metaphysical Philosophy, Philosophical Treatise, Rationalist Philosophy · 125 words
First lines
We shall briefly divide the whole of Nature-namely, into Natura naturans and Natura naturata. By Natura naturans we understand a being that we conceive clearly and distinctly through itself, and without needing anything beside itself (like all the attributes which we have so far described), that is, God.
The Natura naturata we shall divide into two, a general, and a particular. The general consists of all attributes which depend immediately on God, of which we shall treat in the following chapter; the particular consists of all the particular things which are produced by the general mode. So that the Natura naturata requires some substance in order to be well understood.
What this Textopian page supports
On Natura Naturans is listed on Textopian as an essay by Baruch Spinoza, dated 1660 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Baruch Spinoza
- Date: 1660 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Metaphysical Philosophy, Philosophical Treatise, Rationalist Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Pantheism
- Length: 125 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for On Natura Naturans by Baruch Spinoza
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Genres
- Metaphysical Philosophy — The passage defines the fundamental ontological distinction between natura naturans, or self-caused divine nature, and natura naturata, or dependent created nature.
- Philosophical Treatise — It presents concepts through concise definitions, systematic divisions, and logical exposition rather than narrative, character, or plot.
- Rationalist Philosophy — Its method relies on clear and distinct conception, necessary dependence, substance, attributes, and deductive classification.
- Philosophy of Religion — God is identified with the self-conceivable and self-sufficient ground of nature, making the text directly concerned with the philosophical nature of divinity.
Tags
metaphysics · philosophy · ontology · pantheism · monism · rationalism · nature · substance · causality · infinity · immanence · determinism