the modifications of the body is
according to the order and connection in the mind of the thoughts and
ideas of things.

If we detach an emotion of the mind from the thought of an external
cause and connect it with other thoughts, then the love or hatred
towards the external cause and the fluctuations of the mind which arise
from these emotions will be destroyed.

An emotion which is a passion is a confused idea. If, therefore, we form
a clear and distinct idea of this emotion, the idea will not be
distinguished--except by reason--from this emotion, in so far as the
emotion is related to the mind alone, and therefore the emotion will
cease to be a passion.

In proportion, then, as we know an emotion better is it more within our
control, and the less does the mind suffer from it.

Those things which are common to all cannot be otherwise than adequately
conceived and therefore there is no modification of the body of which we
cannot form some clear and distinct conception.

Hence it follows that there is no emotion of which we cannot form some
clear and distinct conception. For an emotion is an idea of a
modification of the body, and this idea therefore must involve some
clear and distinct conception.

Since nothing exists from which some effect does not follow, and since
we understand clearly and distinctly everything which follows from an
idea which is adequate in us, it is a necessary consequence that every
one has the power, partly at least, if not absolutely, of understanding
clearly and distinctly himself and his emotions, and consequently of
bringing it to pass that he suffers less from them. We have therefore
mainly to strive to acquire a clear and distinct knowledge as far as
possible of each emotion, so that the mind may be led to pass from the
emotion to think those things which it perceives clearly and distinctly,
and with which it is entirely satisfied, and to strive also that the
emotion may be separated from the thought of an external cause and
connected with true thoughts. Thus not only love, hatred, etc., will be
destroyed, but also the appetites or desires to which the emotion gives
rise cannot be excessive. For it is above everything to be observed
that the appetite by which a man is said to act is one and the same
appetite as that by which he is said to suffer. For example, we have
shown that human nature is so constituted that every one desires that
other people should live according to his way