Meditations — Page 10
In order to live in accord with nature, it is necessary to know what nature is; and to this end a threefold division of philosophy is made—into _Physics_, dealing with the universe and its laws, the problems of divine government and teleology; _Logic_, which trains the mind to discern true from false; and _Ethics_, which applies the knowledge thus gained and tested to practical life.
Para vivir en armonía con la naturaleza, es necesario saber qué es la naturaleza; y con este fin se hace una triple división de la filosofía: en _Física_, que trata del universo y sus leyes, los problemas del gobierno divino y la teleología; _Lógica_, que entrena la mente para discernir lo verdadero de lo falso; y _Ética_, que aplica el conocimiento así obtenido y comprobado a la vida práctica.
The Stoic system of physics was materialism with an infusion of pantheism.
El sistema estoico de la física era el materialismo con una infusión de panteísmo.
In contradiction to Plato's view that the Ideas, or Prototypes, of phenomena alone really exist, the Stoics held that material objects alone existed; but immanent in the material universe was a spiritual force which acted through them, manifesting itself under many forms, as fire, æther, spirit, soul, reason, the ruling principle.
En contradicción con la opinión de Platón de que solo las Ideas, o Prototipos, de los fenómenos existen realmente, los estoicos sostenían que solo existían los objetos materiales; pero inmanente en el universo material había una fuerza espiritual que actuaba a través de ellos, manifestándose bajo muchas formas, como el fuego, el éter, el espíritu, el alma, la razón, el principio rector.
The universe, then, is God, of whom the popular gods are manifestations; while legends and myths are allegorical.
El universo, entonces, es Dios, de quien los dioses populares son manifestaciones; mientras que las leyendas y los mitos son alegóricos.
The soul of man is thus an emanation from the godhead, into whom it will eventually be re-absorbed.
El alma del hombre es, por tanto, una emanación de la divinidad, en la cual será eventualmente reabsorbida.
The divine ruling principle makes all things work together for good, but for the good of the whole.
El principio rector divino hace que todas las cosas cooperen para el bien, pero para el bien del conjunto.
The highest good of man is consciously to work with God for the common good, and this is the sense in which the Stoic tried to live in accord with nature.
El bien supremo del hombre es trabajar conscientemente con Dios por el bien común, y este es el sentido en el que el estoico intentaba vivir en armonía con la naturaleza.
In the individual it is virtue alone which enables him to do this; as Providence rules the universe, so virtue in the soul must rule man.
En el individuo es solo la virtud la que le permite hacer esto; así como la Providencia gobierna el universo, así la virtud en el alma debe gobernar al hombre.
Vocabulary
- Para
- Preposition indicating purpose or destination, meaning 'for/in order to'
- vivir
- To live; to exist or experience life
- en
- Preposition meaning 'in' or 'on'
- armonía
- Harmony; peaceful coexistence or agreement among elements
- con
- Preposition meaning 'with'
- la
- Definite article 'the' for feminine singular nouns
- naturaleza
- Nature; the natural world and its phenomena
- es
- Third person singular present tense of 'ser,' meaning 'is'
- necesario
- Necessary; something required or indispensable
- saber
- To know; to have knowledge or awareness of something
- qué
- Interrogative or exclamatory word meaning 'what'
- y
- Conjunction meaning 'and,' connecting words or clauses
- este
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' for masculine nouns
- fin
- End or purpose; a goal or objective to achieve
- se
- Reflexive pronoun used in various grammatical constructions
- hace
- Third person singular of 'hacer'; means 'makes' or 'does'
- una
- Indefinite article 'a/an' for feminine singular nouns
- triple
- Triple; consisting of three parts or elements
- división
- Division; separation into distinct parts or categories
- de
- Preposition meaning 'of' or 'from'
- filosofía
- Philosophy; the study of knowledge, existence, and ethics
- _Física_
- Physics or natural science; study of the physical world
- que
- Relative pronoun or conjunction meaning 'that' or 'which'
- trata
- Treats or deals with; addresses a subject or topic
- del
- Contraction of 'de' and 'el,' meaning 'of the'
- universo
- Universe; all of space, matter, and existence
- sus
- Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' 'its,' or 'their'
- leyes
- Laws; rules or principles governing nature or society
- los
- Definite article 'the' for masculine plural nouns
- problemas
- Problems; difficult questions or issues requiring solutions
- gobierno
- Government or governance; the act of ruling or administering
- divino
- Divine; relating to God or a deity
- _Lógica_
- Logic; the study of valid reasoning and argumentation
- entrena
- Trains or exercises; develops a skill or capacity
- mente
- Mind; the faculty of thought, reason, and consciousness
- para
- Preposition meaning 'in order to' or 'for'
- discernir
- To discern; to distinguish or perceive differences clearly
- lo
- Neuter article or pronoun referring to abstract concepts
- verdadero
- True or genuine; conforming to reality or fact
- falso
- False; not true, incorrect, or deceptive
- _Ética_
- Ethics; the philosophical study of morality and conduct
- aplica
- Applies; puts knowledge or principles into practical use
- el
- Definite article 'the' for masculine singular nouns
- conocimiento
- Knowledge; information or understanding acquired through experience
- así
- Thus or so; in this manner or way
- obtenido
- Obtained; acquired or gained through effort or process
- comprobado
- Verified or proven; confirmed to be true or correct
- a
- Preposition meaning 'to' or 'at'
- vida
- Life; the existence and experience of living beings
- práctica
- Practice; practical application of knowledge or skills
- El
- Definite article 'the' for masculine singular nouns
- sistema
- System; an organized set of principles or components
- estoico
- Stoic; relating to the philosophy of Stoicism
- física
- Physics or physical science; study of natural phenomena
- era
- Was; past tense of 'ser,' indicating a past state
- materialismo
- Materialism; belief that only physical matter truly exists
- infusión
- Infusion; the introduction or blending of one element into another
- En
- Preposition meaning 'in' or 'in contrast to'
- contradicción
- Contradiction; opposition between two conflicting ideas or statements
- opinión
- Opinion; a personal view or judgment about something
- solo
- Only or alone; exclusively, without others
- las
- Definite article 'the' for feminine plural nouns
- Ideas
- Ideas or Forms; Platonic abstract perfect entities or concepts
- o
- Conjunction meaning 'or,' presenting an alternative
- Prototipos
- Prototypes; original models or archetypes of things
- fenómenos
- Phenomena; observable events or occurrences in the world
- existen
- Exist; to have real being or presence in the world
- realmente
- Really or truly; in actual fact or genuinely
- estoicos
- Stoics; followers of the Stoic philosophical tradition
- sostenían
- Maintained or argued; held a position or belief firmly
- existían
- Existed; were in existence at a past time
- objetos
- Objects; physical things that can be perceived or touched
- materiales
- Material; relating to physical matter or substances
- pero
- But; conjunction indicating contrast or exception
- material
- Material; composed of or relating to physical matter
- había
- There was/were; past tense of 'haber' indicating existence
- fuerza
- Force or strength; a power that causes change or motion
- espiritual
- Spiritual; relating to the spirit, soul, or non-physical realm
- actuaba
- Acted or operated; was functioning or working upon something
- través
- Through; across or by means of something
- ellos
- They; third person plural masculine pronoun
- manifestándose
- Manifesting itself; appearing or expressing itself in various forms
- bajo
- Under or beneath; also means 'low' as adjective
- muchas
- Many; a large number of feminine plural things
- formas
- Forms or shapes; different appearances or manifestations
- como
- As or like; used for comparison or examples
- fuego
- Fire; the rapid oxidation producing heat, light, and flame
- espíritu
- Spirit; the non-physical essence or soul of a being
- alma
- Soul; the spiritual or immaterial part of a person
- razón
- Reason; the capacity for rational thought and logic
- principio
- Principle; a fundamental rule or basis for something
- rector
- Governing or guiding; a directing or ruling principle
- entonces
- Then or therefore; indicating time sequence or consequence
- Dios
- God; the supreme divine being or deity
- quien
- Who; relative pronoun referring to a person
- dioses
- Gods; divine beings worshipped in polytheistic religions
- populares
- Popular or folk; relating to common people or traditions
- son
- Are; third person plural present tense of 'ser'
- manifestaciones
- Manifestations; outward expressions or appearances of something
- mientras
- While or whereas; indicating simultaneous or contrasting actions
- leyendas
- Legends; traditional stories or myths passed down over time
- mitos
- Myths; traditional stories explaining natural or cultural phenomena
- alegóricos
- Allegorical; conveying symbolic or hidden deeper meanings
- hombre
- Man or humankind; a human being or mankind generally
- por
- Preposition meaning 'for,' 'by,' or 'through'
- tanto
- Therefore or so much; indicating consequence or degree
- divinidad
- Divinity; the quality or state of being divine or godly
- cual
- Which; relative pronoun referring to things previously mentioned
- será
- Will be; future tense of 'ser,' indicating future state
- eventualmente
- Eventually; at some later time or in the end
- todas
- All; referring to every one of a feminine plural group
- cosas
- Things; objects, matters, or entities in general
- cooperen
- Cooperate; work together toward a common goal or purpose
- bien
- Good or well; something morally positive or done correctly
- conjunto
- Whole or set; a group of elements considered together
- supremo
- Supreme; highest in authority, importance, or quality
- trabajar
- To work; to perform labor or effort toward a goal
- conscientemente
- Consciously; with awareness and deliberate intention
- común
- Common; shared by all or occurring frequently
- sentido
- Sense or meaning; a direction, feeling, or significance
- intentaba
- Was trying or attempting; making an effort toward something
- individuo
- Individual; a single person considered separately from a group
- virtud
- Virtue; moral excellence or a positive quality of character
- le
- Indirect object pronoun meaning 'to him,' 'to her,' or 'to you'
- permite
- Allows or permits; gives permission or makes possible
- hacer
- To do or make; to perform an action or create something
- esto
- This; neuter demonstrative pronoun referring to something nearby
- Providencia
- Providence; divine guidance or care over human affairs
- gobierna
- Governs or rules; exercises authority over people or things
- debe
- Must or should; indicates obligation or necessity
- gobernar
- To govern; to rule, control, or guide with authority
- al
- Contraction of 'a' and 'el,' meaning 'to the'
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