Substance is that which is in itself and is conceived through itself; its conception is independent of any other conception.

By Baruch Spinoza, from Ethics

Key Arguments

  • Restates in other words that a conception of substance does not depend on any other conception.

Source Quotes

III. By substance, I mean that which is in itself, and is conceived through itself: in other words, that of which a conception can be formed independently of any other conception. IV.

Key Concepts

  • By substance, I mean that which is in itself, and is conceived through itself:
  • in other words, that of which a conception can be formed independently of any other conception.

Context

Ethics, Part I, Definitions (lines 10–24); core metaphysical definition underpinning substance monism in Part I.