TIME AS A TRACE OF UNION BETWEEN SOCIETY AND ITS HISTORY

Abstract

This paper is a brief analysis of the concept of time in which we intend to demonstrate that there are two possible ways of offering it new significance inside Spinoza's philosophy. In principle, we discuss the ontological character of this concept emphasizing that time is nothing but a product of our imagination and, consequently, it is possible to interpret Spinoza as a deep critic of the idea of measurable time. From this perspective, the author proposes to release men from the temporal perception through a process of correction of the intellect, in order to understand all things from the perspective of eternity. However, there is another possibility of interpretation that guarantees to time a more significant role both in private life and in the construction of society, as well as in the relation of society with its history, i.e. with the evolution of the collective consciousness and the maintenance of common good.