Benedict de Spinoza, THE ETHICS
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the modification of the human body; in other words, the idea of
the modification of the human body does not involve an adequate
knowledge of the external body. Q.E.D.

XXVI. The human mind does not perceive any external body as
actually existing, except through the ideas of the modifications
of its own body.

>>>>>Proof--If the human body is in no way affected by a given
external body, then (II. vii.) neither is the idea of the human
body, in other words, the human mind, affected in any way by the
idea of the existence of the said external body, nor does it in
any manner perceive its existence. But, in so far as the human
body is affected in any way by a given external body, thus far
(II. xvi. and Cor.) it perceives that external body. Q.E.D.

<<<<body, it has not an adequate knowledge thereof.

>>>>>Proof--When the human mind regards external bodies through
the ideas of the modifications of its own body, we say that it
imagines (see II. xvii. note); now the mind can only imagine
external bodies as actually existing. Therefore (by II. xxv.),
in so far as the mind imagines external bodies, it has not an
adequate knowledge of them. Q.E.D.

XXVII. The idea of each modification of the human body does not
involve an adequate knowledge of the human body itself.

>>>>>Proof--Every idea of a modification of the human body
involves the nature of the human body, in so far as the human
body is regarded as affected in a given manner (II. xvi.). But
inasmuch as the human body is an individual which may be affected
in many other ways, the idea of the said modification, &c.
Q.E.D.

XXVIII. The ideas of the modifications of the human body, in so
far as they have reference only to the human mind, are not clear
and distinct, but confused.

>>>>>Proof--The ideas of the modifications of the human body
involve the nature both of the human body and of external bodies
(II. xvi.); they must involve the nature not only of the human
body but also of its parts; for the modifications are modes
(Post. iii.), whereby the parts of the human body, and,