"Sin cannot be conceived in a natural state, but only in a civil state, where it is decreed by common consent what is good or bad"

In this quote, theorist Baruch Spinoza is talking about the concept of sin and how it is viewed in different states of society. He argues that sin is not a natural event, however rather a construct of a civil state. In a natural state, there is no concept of great or bad, and for that reason, no concept of sin. However, in a civil state, where there is a cumulative contract on what is considered good or bad, sin becomes a relevant concept. This suggests that sin is not fundamental in human nature, however rather an item of social norms and values. Spinoza's point of view obstacles standard faiths that view sin as a universal and intrinsic human defect.