P52: Self-esteem can arise from reason, and only that self-esteem which does arise from reason is the greatest there can be.

Dem.: Self-esteem is a Joy born of the fact that man considers himself and his power of acting (by Def. Aff. XXV). But man’s true power of acting, or virtue, is reason itself (by IIIP3), which man considers clearly and distinctly (by IIP40 and P43). Therefore, selfesteem arises from reason.

Next, while a man considers himself, he perceives nothing clearly and distinctly, or adequately, except those things which follow from his power of acting (by IIID2), i.e. (by IIIP3), which follow from his power of understanding. And so the greatest self-esteem there can be arises only from this reflection, q.e.d.

Schol.: Self-esteem is really the highest thing we can hope for. For (as we have shown in P25) no one strives to preserve his being for the sake of any end. And because this self-esteem is more and more encouraged and strengthened by praise (by IIIP53 C), and on the other hand, more and more upset by blame (by IIIP55 C), we are guided most by love of esteem and can hardly bear a life in disgrace.