Abstrakt
In this paper, I examine the prospects of the two major approaches to interpreting the ʻinesseʼ relation in Spinoza's definitions of substance and mode in the Ethics - the ʻinherenceʼ interpretation and the ʻcausalʼ interpretation. I argue that these interpretations face a problem in reconciling the claim that modes ʻare inʼ substance with the claim that modes are conceived through substance.
I consider a number of strategies that proponents of these readings might use to overcome the problem, and conclude that none is really satisfactory.