ABSTRACT

Through a close analysis of Spinoza's views on prophecy and the Hebrew Republic, this article contributes insights into how certain modes of governing succeed in aligning and entangling affects with reason. I argue, first, that the prophet must be seen as a political figure immersed in the imaginative-affective domain. Through the imagination, signs, and a moral compass, the prophet utilizes affects such as humility, repentance, and devotion to exhort people to live in accordance with the guidance of reason. In this way, prophetic authority underlies a mode of governing that utilizes imaginative and affective means to reach rationally expedient ends. However, since affects are inherently inconsistent and fluctuating, something needs to be invoked to make commendable affects durable, intense, and lasting. I therefore turn to Spinoza's analysis of Moses’ government of the Hebrews to argue that by commending collective, repetitive, and bodily performances of ceremonies, rituals, and liturgy, he was able to habituate individuals to certain moods, values, and virtues that conform with the prescripts of reason on an affective basis. It is my hope that the article will enhance our ability to see that, although affects are governable, not all affects can be entangled with reason and that the difference between true and false prophets is small.

摘要

通过对斯宾诺莎关于预言和希伯来共和国的观点的仔细分析，本文对某些治理模式如何成功地将影响与理性对齐和纠缠在一起提供了见解。我认为，首先，先知必须被视为一个沉浸在想象-情感领域的政治人物。先知通过想象、迹象和道德指南针，利用谦逊、悔改和奉献等情感来劝告人们按照理性的指导生活。通过这种方式，预言权威是一种管理模式的基础，该模式利用富有想象力和情感的手段来达到合理的权宜之计。然而，由于情感本质上是不一致和波动的，因此需要调用一些东西来使值得称道的情感持久、强烈和持久。因此我转向斯宾诺莎' 对希伯来人摩西政府的分析认为，通过赞扬集体的、重复的和身体的仪式、仪式和礼仪表演，他能够使个人习惯于某些符合理性规定的情绪、价值观和美德在情感的基础上。我希望这篇文章能让我们看到，虽然情感是可控的，但并非所有情感都可以与理性纠缠在一起，真假先知之间的差异很小。