Gratitude in Descartes and Spinoza

Descartes and Spinoza define gratitude in similar ways but they differ on its appreciation. For Descartes, gratitude is always a virtue. For Spinoza, in Short Treatise, this feeling cannot be proved by a perfect man. The paper analyses first the reasons why, in Short Treatise, Spinoza posits such a paradoxical thesis. Then it examines the suprising change about the valuation of Gratitude in the Ethics and the distinction between its active and passive aspect. Spinoza distinguishes the true thankfulness belonging to the free men guided by raison from the tricky gratitude of the ignorants that is nothing but a business transaction or an entrapment. Therefore it is necessary to define a good use of gratitude and a way of living among ignorants to avoid corrupted links and poisoned gifts.