In this short note written in 1931 to a philosopher who had asked him about Spinoza's influence on his work, Freud acknowledges his 'dependence upon Spinoza's doctrine'. By this he means that his discoveries were achieved in an atmosphere created by the great philosopher, not that they were the direct result of systematic study. Freud's philosophical interests made him particularly concerned about his own discoveries being presented without 'deformation, prejudice and preconceptions'. Citing the danger of becoming guided by a philosopher one studies, Freud states that he denied himself the study of Nietzsche because he knew he would find insight there similar to that of psychoanalysis.

This note adds to our knowledge of Freud and should be available to future biographers.