The free man, who lives among the ignorant, strives, as far as he can, to avoid receiving favours from them.
 Baruch Spinoza, Ethics (1677). copy citation

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Author Baruch Spinoza
Source Ethics
Topic ignorance
Date 1677
Language English
Reference
Note Translated by R. H. M. Elwes
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3800/3800-h/3800-h.htm

Context

“Note.—What courage (animositas) is, and what I mean thereby, I explained in III. LIX. note. By danger I mean everything, which can give rise to any evil, such as pain, hatred, discord, &c.
PROP. LXX. The free man, who lives among the ignorant, strives, as far as he can, to avoid receiving favours from them.
Proof.—Everyone judges what is good according to his disposition (III. XXXIX. note); wherefore an ignorant man, who has conferred a benefit on another, puts his own estimate upon it, and, if it appears to be estimated less highly by the receiver, will feel pain (III.” source

Meaning and analysis

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