Metaphysics / Monadology of Gottfried Leibniz

[karene]

Metaphysics / Monadology of Gottfried Leibniz

I hold that the mark of a genuine idea is that its possibility can be proved, either a priori by conceiving its cause or reason, or a posteriori when experience teaches us that it is in fact in nature. (Leibniz, 1670)

Indeed in general I hold that there is nothing truer than happiness, and nothing happier and sweeter than truth. (Leibniz, 1670)

I agree with you that it is important to examine our presuppositions, thoroughly and once for all, in order to establish something solid. For I hold that it is only when we can prove all that we bring forward that we perfectly understand the thing under consideration. I know that the common herd takes little pleasure in these researches, but I know also that the common herd take little pains thoroughly to understand things. (Leibniz, 1670)

... a distinction must be made between true and false ideas, and that too much rein must not be given to a man's imagination under pretext of its being a clear and distinct intellect. (Leibniz, 1670)

Introduction to Gottfried Leibniz

Gottfried Leibniz (1646 - 1716) was a fine philosopher, as shown by the above quotations. He was also a fine metaphysicist, which culminated in his Monadology (Philosophical Investigations, 1670). Leibniz further studied geometry under the guidance of Christiaan Huygens and in 1676 he completed his discovery of Differential Calculus (independently of Sir Isaac Newton).

Metaphysics of Gottfried Leibniz

Leibniz described Reality (the One thing which exists and connects the many things) as One Dynamic Substance. He understood the Unity of Reality to be synonymous with God;

Reality cannot be found except in One single source, because of the interconnection of all things with one another. (Leibniz, 1670)
I do not conceive of any reality at all as without genuine unity. (Leibniz, 1670)
... the ultimate reason of things must lie in a necessary substance, in which the differentiation of the changes only exists eminently as in their source; and this is what we call God. .. God alone is the primary Unity, or original simple substance, from which all monads, created and derived, are produced. (Leibniz, 1670)
I maintain also that substances, whether material or immaterial, cannot be conceived in their bare essence without any activity, activity being of the essence of substance in general. (Gottfried Leibniz, 1670)

Monas is a Greek word which signifies unity or that which is one. Gottfried Leibniz's Monadology is largely correct, matter and universe are One. But we can now better understand his Monad as a Spherical Wave Motion of Space that determines the size of our finite spherical universe within an infinite Space, and thus interacts with ALL other matter within our universe.

It follows from what we have just said, that the natural changes of monads come from an internal principle, and that change is continual in each one. … Now this connection of all created things with each, and of each with all the rest, means that each simple substance has relations which express all the others, each created monad represents the whole universe. (Leibniz, 1670)

Now this connection or adaption of all created things with each, and of each with all the rest, means that each simple substance has relations which express all the others, and that consequently it is a perpetual living mirror of the universe. (Leibniz, 1670)

1. The monad, of which we shall speak here, is nothing but a simple substance which enters into compounds; simple, that is to say, without parts.
2. And there must be simple substances, because there are compounds; for the compound is nothing but a collection or aggregatum of simples.
3. Now where there are no parts, there neither extension, nor shape, nor divisibility is possible. And these monads are the true atoms of nature and, in a word, the elements of things.
5. There is no way in which a simple substance could begin in the course of nature, since it cannot be formed by means of compounding.

9. Indeed every monad must be different from every other. For there are never in nature two beings, which are precisely alike, and in which it is not possible to find some difference which is internal, or based on some intrinsic quality.
10. I also take it as granted that every created thing, and consequently the created monad also, is subject to change, and indeed that this change is continual in each one.
11. It follows from what we have just said, that the natural changes of monads come from an internal principle, since an external cause would be unable to influence their inner being. (Leibniz, 1670)

22. And as every state of a simple substance is a natural consequence of its preceding state, so that the present state of it is big with the future (Leibniz, 1670)


http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Gottfried-Leibniz-Philosopher.htm

[Steve Anthony]

What an amazing mind, so far ahead of his 'time', Leibniz had.

Point No.22 above is also a pretty good description of 'Evolution', and if he had concentrated on this aspect more would have preceded Darwin's theories by nearly 200 years.

According to WSM, Truth must also be 'wave-structured', rising and falling, ebbing and flowing, as it does, with 'time'.


~Steve~