> Existence in essence. Leadership does not coincide with a hierarchic position but is an authentic way of being. As a human being you are and have to be. Are you not disowning this existential truth in order to deny your freedom? Are you truly taking responsibility for who you essentially choose to be? The 'no' and 'yes' with which you answer these questions indicate the extent to which you take leadership over your own life. And are able to lead others into their freedom. We would like to share century old wisdom and contemporary experiences with you in the articles below or in our programs to develop your inner steersman. And become a better business leader. <

> Spinoza and the language of the feelings.

"The object of the idea constituting the Mind is the Body."

Spinoza - Ethics (II, 13)

Spinoza's truth. As modern people we think dualistically about ourselves as a controversial combination of mind and body, ever since Descartes. Excellence for us is mostly determined by the primacy of our 'reason' over our 'feelings'. In the 17th century, Spinoza solves this dualistic paradox and shows the savoir-vivre of free people. Contemporary neuroscientists like Antonio Damasio confirm Spinoza's truth.

The logic of the feelings. According to Damasio, bio-neurological research shows the pertinence of the spinozistic critique on our modern self image. Both the theory of evolution and neuroscientific tests show us that our common sense notion of first having emotions and then expressing them confuses cause and effect. Damasio claims that the external expressions precede inner feelings we subsequently develop. Feelings, as mental images, are always linked to our physical situation and are essentially cognitions.

Human freedom. Feelings thus give us crucial knowledge about ourselves and about the world we live in. Accordingly, we need to be aware of the human possibility to falsely conceive matters by which we obtain inadequate knowledge which makes us suffer. Spinoza helps us overcome these afflictions (= passions) in order to realise the necessity of our actions in full freedom. Our idea of a free will is a mere illusion. We can never ignore our feelings (that is only intellectual illusion), but we can develop our rational excellence through which we understand ourselves as parts of a cosmic whole in which we can strive for our self-interest in cooperation with others.

The happiness of virtue. Spinoza frees us from moral preachers. Acting according to the laws of our nature means living by reason and essentially implies happiness. "Blessedness is not the reward of virtue, but virtue itself; neither do we rejoice therein, because we control our lusts, but, contrariwise, because we rejoice therein, we are able to control our lusts." (Spinoza - Ethics V, 42) Spinoza realises that his ethics of excellence is not attainable for everyone. In the final sentence of his Ethics from 1677 he is still challenging us today: "(...) all things excellent are as difficult as they are rare." (Spinoza - Ethics V, 42 scholium) <

Spinoza - Ethics (1677) translation: W.H.White, A.H.Stirling publisher: Wordsworth (2001)		Damasio - Looking for Spinoza publisher: Mariner (2003)