ABSTRACT
The way Spinoza describes the central illusion of anthropocentrism shows the complexity of the relationship between cognition and the conative-affective element. False knowledge based on ignorance is so closely intertwined with striving and affection that it must become prejudice, deeply influencing the whole way of living. False knowledge concerning oneself is analogically used by man to interpret the behaviour of other things and even of the origin of things itself. Both the optimistic rationalist and the cynic think that one can or should be able to cut themselves loose from contingent, traditional values and ways of seeing, to identify ideals which they as rational beings understand to be really desirable. Both the optimistic rationalist and the desillusioncd cynic think they can escape the prejudices of anthropocentrism, but they only repeat them in a certain way. The way purified judaeo-christianity leads to salvation is not through scientific truth, but through the practice of obedience, charity and justice.
