<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[The Dish]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[http://dish.andrewsullivan.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[Andrew Sullivan]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://dish.andrewsullivan.com/author/sullydish/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[If Philosophers Were Stocks,&nbsp;Ctd]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[
<p>A reader writes:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It probably says something about the trivial nature of my mind that I  grasp very little of what Spinoza <a href="http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2011/06/if-philosophers-were-stocks.html" target="_self">has to tell us</a> about nature and  science.&nbsp; However, he can, apparently, tell us quite a bit about  Jeeves.&nbsp; From the esteemed philosopher, Sex-in-Spats, and his <a href="http://sex-in-spats.livejournal.com/" target="_self">article</a> &#8220;The Man Behind the Stuffed Frog Mask: What Spinoza&#8217;s <em>Ethics </em>can tell us about Reginald Jeeves.&#8221; Money quote:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Spinoza writes that, through reason, &#8220;[the free man] is lead adequately  to  <img class="asset  asset-image at-xid-6a00d83451c45669e2014e893ff684970d" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px;" title="JeevesInTheOffing" src="https://sullydish.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/6a00d83451c45669e2014e893ff684970d-320wi.jpg" alt="JeevesInTheOffing" /> conceive himself and all things which can be conceived by his  intelligence.&#8221; To be a Spinozist is to undergo a rigorous regimen of  constant intellectual&#8211;and bodily&#8211;self-improvement. The more one  understands nature, the more one &#8220;passes to the highest human  perfection, and consequently is affected with the highest joy which is  accompanied with the idea of himself and his own virtue . . . the  highest possible peace of mind.&#8221; Happiness is the recognition of the  power of one&#8217;s own mind. If there is one thing we know beyond a shadow  of a doubt about Jeeves, it is that he is extraordinarily intelligent,  well-informed and constantly learning more things. Bertie extols Jeeves&#8217;  intelligence continuously throughout the stories, and in every  misadventure Jeeves shines through as a paragon of sagacity and cunning.</p>
<p>Or, more succinctly:</p>
<p>&#8220;Sorry to keep you waiting, Jeeves,&#8221; I said.<br />&#8220;Oh no sir, thank you. I was quite happy with my Spinoza.&#8221;<br />&#8220;Eh?&#8221;<br />&#8220;The copy of Spinoza&#8217;s Ethics which you kindly gave me some time ago.&#8221;<br /> &#8220;Oh, ah, yes, I remember. Good stuff?&#8221;<br />&#8220;Extremely, sir.&#8221;<br />&nbsp;&#8220;I suppose it turns out in the end that the Butler did it.</p>
<p>  <P>&#8211; from <em>Jeeves in the Offing<br /></em></p>
</blockquote>
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