Dissent About The Essence of Things

It is the dead of night and Bahloo the Moon shines balefully on the Plenty Highway. Inside the Jeep The Great Philosophers are causing some dissent.

Gaius is reading the chapter on Spinoza. Spinoza thinks that truth is what is adequate. By this he means in accordance with the mind of god.

I don't like this Spinoza, says Gaius. He needs to specify which god.

He needs to specify what he means by adequate, says Arthur.

Baby Pierre is sitting next to Gaius, reading the same pages on Spinoza, but not quite keeping up..

Gaius turns the page.

Now here, says Gaius, we have Spinoza's ideas on the essence of things. This may be illuminating.

He reads:

Consider animals. Unlike stones, they avoid injury, protect themselves and try to heal themselves when afflicted. For this reason we attribute to animals an independence we rarely accord to insentient things......

Unlike stones! says Baby Pierre.

Ha ha! says Lavender.

Why are you laughing, Lavender? says Baby Pierre hotly.

Because I'm not a stone, says Lavender.

You should be on our side, Lavender, says Ouvert. You're more a stone than an animal.

It's doesn't have to be an either or, says Dr Yates. Consider fossils.

Baby Pierre is not consoled by this. He looks at Ageless.

Put it this way, says Ageless. Would you still be Baby Pierre if you were cut in half?

No, says Baby Pierre.

Then you are an indivisible entity, says Ageless. In essence, that's what counts.

So are you still Ageless when you come out of your carapace? asks Baby Pierre.

That's a different thing entirely, says Ageless.

The philosophical argument continues, but the zircon in Arthur's hand keeps out of it.

He's busy protecting everyone from snakes.