Class notes on Leibniz

(Originally written in March 1, 2006 in Book 22)

Class Notes

Leibniz

Innate ideas

Arguments:
1) Argument from math, logic, metaphysical truths, etc.
a. Triangles have three sides, law of non-contradiction, infinity, freedom
b. Locke's criticism is there is no satisfactory definition of innate ideas
2) Miller illustration

Metaphysics

Monadology
- motivated by problem of communication between substances
- reestablished harmony of these ultimate substances called monads
- monads - metaphysical atoms, fundamental realities that underlie everything in the physical and spiritual realm.
- the most basic entities, but not necessarily small, not at rest or in motion, no shape
- unextended atoms, don't take up physical space
- windowless (unaffected by other things)
- Don't have shape, size, location, etc.

Humans are collections of monads
- one monad is dominant in humanity: the soul

View of Human Nature: Parallelism

Descartes: Body <--> Soul
Spinoza: Body/Soul
Leibniz: God -> Body; God -> Soul

Parallelism: Humans are composed of body and soul, but the body and soul do not interact. Their states are coordinated by God, giving the appearance of causal interaction between body and soul

Bodies are aggregates of monads
a) animate bodies are dominated by a particular monad
b) inanimate bodies are not dominated by a particular monad

Mind/Soul - a dominant monad in an aggregation of monads

Dominate - to priced the other monads with a special clarity

Mind/soul dominates the body

Consciousness: degrees of perception and awareness
1) mere perception: plants
2) perception with memory: animals
3) Aperception (self-consciousness): rational beings: God, Angels and Man